Grant Balfour vs. Ad Lankford — Career Comparison

Grant Balfour
Gen XAustraliaThrows RightBats RightOceaniaTampa Bay RaysAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherAll-Star
Ad Lankford
Pre-GenerationalMissouriThrows RightNorth AmericaNew York Lincoln StarsEastern Colored League (Independent)Starting Pitcher

Ad Lankford built a career as a starting pitcher and Grant Balfour as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Grant Balfour posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.49 and WHIP 1.245 compared to 4.53 and 1.616 for Ad Lankford. By the career numbers, Grant Balfour had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Grant Balfour and Ad Lankford

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
6
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
534
8.91
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
30
1.26
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.02
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
1.05
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
30
0.5
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.67
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
23
0.38
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.34
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
56.6
56.6
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66.67
66.67
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.19
0.19
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
83.33
83.33
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
0.84
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.04
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
84
1.4
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.04
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
209
3.49
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
108
4.53
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.49
3.49
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.53
4.53
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.94
2.94
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.88
4.88
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.46
3.46
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.63
3.63
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.209
0.209
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.304
0.304
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1619
27
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
644
27
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
539.2
9
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
214.2
9
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
406
6.77
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
264
11.07
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.77
6.77
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
11.07
11.07
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.78
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.21
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.78
0.78
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.21
0.21
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.17
0.17
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
252
4.2
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
83
3.48
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
0.23
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.2
4.2
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.48
3.48
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
571
9.52
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
104
4.36
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.52
9.52
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.36
4.36
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.07
1.07
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.47
3.47
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.525
1.525
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.871
0.871
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
26
0.43
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.21
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.13
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.42
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.02
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2241
37.37
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
988
41.42
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
203
3.39
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
215
3.59
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
146
6.12
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.59
3.59
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.12
6.12
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
0.25
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
27
1.13
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.32
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
31
0.52
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
0.96
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.219
1.219
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.617
1.617
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1947
32.47
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
868
36.39
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.4
0.4
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.87
4.87
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.27
0.27
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.341
0.341
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.37
37.37
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
41.42
41.42

Fielding Stats for Grant Balfour and Ad Lankford

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
6
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
534
8.91
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.27
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.02
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1619
27
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
809
27
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
539.2
9
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
269.2
9
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.28
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.43
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
45
0.75
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
62
2.07
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.02
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.23
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
1.05
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
82
2.74
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
62
1.03
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
2.5
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
98.41
98.41
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
91.46
91.46
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.116
0.116
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.974
1.974
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.19
0.19
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.05
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.17
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Grant Balfour and Ad Lankford

Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
12
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
6
6
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
534
160200
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
36
164.89
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
2
600
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
131
600
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
600
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
113
517.56
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.23
0.23
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.656
0.656
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
119.08
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
21
96.18
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
18.32
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.58
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
22.9
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.192
0.192
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11.63
53.29
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
146.56
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
38
174.05
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.304
0.304
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.283
0.283
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.587
0.587
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.053
0.053
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.208
0.208
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.563
0.563
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.23
0.23
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
82.44
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
82.44
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
36
164.89
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.22
-66.4
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12.99
59.51
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
54.96
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
2
600
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Grant Balfour
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
27.48
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
22.9
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
22.9
Grant Balfour
Career
Per 600 PA
Ad Lankford
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100