John Bates vs. Philip Humber — Career Comparison

Philip Humber 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. Philip Humber posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.31 and WHIP 1.442 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Philip Humber had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.