Brian Barkley vs. Kent Bottenfield — Career Comparison

Kent Bottenfield 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. Kent Bottenfield posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.54 and WHIP 1.494 compared to 9.82 and 2.364 for Brian Barkley. By the career numbers, Kent Bottenfield had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.