Brian Barkley vs. Red Booles — Career Comparison

Red Booles built a career as a starting pitcher and Brian Barkley as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Red Booles posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.99 and WHIP 1.235 compared to 9.82 and 2.364 for Brian Barkley. By the career numbers, Red Booles had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.