Mike Beard vs. John Fitzgerald — Career Comparison

John Fitzgerald built a career as a starting pitcher and Mike Beard as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Fitzgerald posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3 and WHIP 0.667 compared to 3.74 and 1.534 for Mike Beard. By the career numbers, John Fitzgerald had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.