Steve Bechler vs. Earl Bumpus — Career Comparison

Earl Bumpus built a career as a starting pitcher and Steve Bechler as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Earl Bumpus posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.56 and WHIP 1.820 compared to 13.5 and 2.143 for Steve Bechler. By the career numbers, Earl Bumpus had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.