Ernie Beam vs. Philip Humber — Career Comparison

Philip Humber built a career as a starting pitcher and Ernie Beam as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Philip Humber posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.31 and WHIP 1.442 compared to 11.31 and 2.351 for Ernie Beam. By the career numbers, Philip Humber had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.