Rich Barnes vs. Ben Flowers — Career Comparison

Rich Barnes built a career as a starting pitcher and Ben Flowers as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ben Flowers posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.49 and WHIP 1.461 compared to 5.65 and 1.919 for Rich Barnes. By the career numbers, Ben Flowers had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.