Rich Barnes vs. Bob Watkins — Career Comparison

Rich Barnes built a career as a starting pitcher and Bob Watkins as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bob Watkins posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.17 and WHIP 1.660 compared to 5.65 and 1.919 for Rich Barnes. By the career numbers, Bob Watkins had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.