Jim Bilbrey vs. Merle Settlemire — Career Comparison

Merle Settlemire built a career as a starting pitcher and Jim Bilbrey as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Merle Settlemire posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.47 and WHIP 1.822 compared to 18 and 4.000 for Jim Bilbrey. By the career numbers, Merle Settlemire had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.