John Bates vs. Boof Bonser — Career Comparison

Boof Bonser built a career as a starting pitcher and John Bates as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Boof Bonser posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.18 and WHIP 1.471 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Boof Bonser had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.