Rich Barnes vs. Tom Williams — Career Comparison

Rich Barnes built a career as a starting pitcher and Tom Williams as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Tom Williams posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.36 and WHIP 1.606 compared to 5.65 and 1.919 for Rich Barnes. By the career numbers, Tom Williams had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.