Charles Bender vs. Erik Swanson — Career Comparison

Charles Bender built a career as a starting pitcher and Erik Swanson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Charles Bender posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.46 and WHIP 1.113 compared to 4.2 and 1.154 for Erik Swanson. By the career numbers, Charles Bender had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.