Rich Barnes vs. Scott Williamson — Career Comparison

Rich Barnes built a career as a starting pitcher and Scott Williamson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Scott Williamson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.36 and WHIP 1.357 compared to 5.65 and 1.919 for Rich Barnes. By the career numbers, Scott Williamson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.