John Bates vs. Bob Smith — Career Comparison

Bob Smith 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. Bob Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.94 and WHIP 1.399 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Bob Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.