John Bates vs. Charlie Schmutz — Career Comparison

Charlie Schmutz 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. Charlie Schmutz posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.52 and WHIP 1.272 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Charlie Schmutz had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.