Frank Bates vs. John Roper — Career Comparison

John Roper 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. John Roper posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.35 and WHIP 1.511 compared to 6.33 and 2.082 for Frank Bates. By the career numbers, John Roper had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.