John Bates vs. Jim Hearn — Career Comparison

Jim Hearn 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. Jim Hearn posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.81 and WHIP 1.372 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Jim Hearn had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.