John Bates vs. Duane Wilson — Career Comparison

Duane Wilson 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. Duane Wilson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.68 and WHIP 2.842 compared to 13.5 and 2.500 for John Bates. By the career numbers, Duane Wilson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.