Jeff Ballard vs. Alek Jacob — Career Comparison

Jeff Ballard built a career as a starting pitcher and Alek Jacob as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Alek Jacob posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.06 and WHIP 1.216 compared to 4.71 and 1.506 for Jeff Ballard. By the career numbers, Alek Jacob had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.