John Bates vs. Mike Walker — Career Comparison

Mike Walker 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. Mike Walker posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 7.36 and WHIP 2.250 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Mike Walker had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.