John Bates vs. Bruce Ruffin — Career Comparison

Bruce Ruffin 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. Bruce Ruffin posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.19 and WHIP 1.546 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Bruce Ruffin had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.