Steve Bechler vs. Willie Pope — Career Comparison

Willie Pope 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. Willie Pope posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.04 and WHIP 1.427 compared to 13.5 and 2.143 for Steve Bechler. By the career numbers, Willie Pope had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.