Phil Bickford vs. Bill Dietrich — Career Comparison

Bill Dietrich built a career as a starting pitcher and Phil Bickford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Dietrich posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.48 and WHIP 1.501 compared to 4.62 and 1.302 for Phil Bickford. By the career numbers, Bill Dietrich had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.