John Barfield vs. Bill Williams — Career Comparison

Bill Williams 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. John Barfield posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.72 and WHIP 1.421 compared to 5.06 and 1.313 for Bill Williams. By the career numbers, John Barfield had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.