Brian Barkley vs. Bill Burns — Career Comparison

Bill Burns 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. Bill Burns posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.72 and WHIP 1.187 compared to 9.82 and 2.364 for Brian Barkley. By the career numbers, Bill Burns had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.