Frank Bates vs. R. A. Dickey — Career Comparison

R. A. Dickey built a career as a starting pitcher and Frank Bates as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. R. A. Dickey posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.04 and WHIP 1.312 compared to 6.33 and 2.082 for Frank Bates. By the career numbers, R. A. Dickey had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.