John Bates vs. Merle Settlemire — Career Comparison

Merle Settlemire 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. Merle Settlemire posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.47 and WHIP 1.822 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Merle Settlemire had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.