Steve Bechler vs. Mike Wood — Career Comparison

Mike Wood 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. Mike Wood posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.49 and WHIP 1.622 compared to 13.5 and 2.143 for Steve Bechler. By the career numbers, Mike Wood had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.