John Barfield vs. Lawrence Simpson — Career Comparison

Lawrence Simpson built a career as a starting pitcher and John Barfield as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Lawrence Simpson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.3 and WHIP 1.398 compared to 4.72 and 1.421 for John Barfield. By the career numbers, Lawrence Simpson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.