Frank Bates vs. J. R. Richard — Career Comparison

J. R. Richard 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. J. R. Richard posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.15 and WHIP 1.253 compared to 6.33 and 2.082 for Frank Bates. By the career numbers, J. R. Richard had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.