Phil Bickford vs. John Lawson — Career Comparison

John Lawson 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. John Lawson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2 and WHIP 1.111 compared to 4.62 and 1.302 for Phil Bickford. By the career numbers, John Lawson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.