Doug Bird vs. Jon Lester — Career Comparison

Doug Bird
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaKansas City RoyalsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Jon Lester
MillenialWashingtonThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaBoston Red SoxAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Jon Lester built a career as a starting pitcher and Doug Bird as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jon Lester led in home run suppression (HR9+ 96 vs 65), run prevention (ERA+ 102 vs 75), and strikeout rate (K%+ 96 vs 79). Doug Bird held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 168 vs 96). Role difference aside, Jon Lester holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Doug Bird and Jon Lester

Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
11
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
432
3.2
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
452
1.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.74
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
451
1.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
73
0.54
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
200
0.66
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
60
0.44
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
117
0.38
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
54.89
54.89
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
63.09
63.09
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
23.15
23.15
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
99.78
99.78
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.06
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
0.05
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.01
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
0.44
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
538
3.99
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1114
3.66
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.66
3.66
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.75
3.75
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.73
3.73
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.97
3.97
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.65
3.65
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.273
0.273
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.252
0.252
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3641
27
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8220
27
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1213.2
9
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2740
9
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1273
9.44
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2610
8.57
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.44
9.44
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.57
8.57
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
122
0.9
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
294
0.97
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.9
0.9
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.97
0.97
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.28
0.28
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.65
0.65
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
296
2.2
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
892
2.93
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
56
0.42
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.04
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.2
2.2
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.93
2.93
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
680
5.04
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2488
8.17
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.04
5.04
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.17
8.17
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.57
1.57
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.5
5.5
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.804
0.804
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.234
1.234
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
0.17
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.21
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
0.16
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
90
0.3
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5104
37.85
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11487
37.73
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
199
1.48
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
590
4.38
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1215
3.99
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.38
4.38
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.99
3.99
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
51
0.38
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
0.2
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
63
0.47
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
67
0.22
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
97
0.72
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
250
0.82
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.293
1.293
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.278
1.278
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4672
34.65
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10377
34.09
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.37
1.37
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.69
2.69
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.297
0.297
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.305
0.305
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.85
37.85
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.73
37.73

Fielding Stats for Doug Bird and Jon Lester

Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
11
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
432
3.2
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
452
1.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.74
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
451
1.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
3641
27
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8220
27
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
1213.2
9
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2740
9
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
94
0.7
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
147
0.48
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
124
0.92
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
266
0.87
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.04
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
0.07
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
223
1.65
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
433
1.42
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
218
1.62
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
413
1.36
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.76
97.76
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
95.38
95.38
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.505
0.505
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.914
0.914
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
23.15
23.15
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
99.78
99.78
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.08
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
18
0.06
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Doug Bird and Jon Lester

Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
11
11
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
16
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PAverified
432
2880
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
458
649.65
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
90
600
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
423
600
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PAverified
82
546.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
366
519.15
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.134
0.134
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0.115
0.115
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.356
0.356
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.412
0.412
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PAverified
11
73.33
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
59.57
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PAverified
10
66.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
28
39.72
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
14.18
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
5.67
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
19.86
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.011
0.011
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.095
0.095
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1.65
10.98
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12.43
17.63
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
12
80
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
64
90.78
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
13
86.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
63
89.36
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.155
0.155
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.162
0.162
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.146
0.146
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.175
0.175
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.301
0.301
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.337
0.337
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.012
0.012
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.06
0.06
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.106
0.106
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.117
0.117
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.194
0.194
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.261
0.261
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.234
0.234
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0.188
0.188
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
1
6.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
38.3
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
3
20
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
31
43.97
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
4
26.67
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
54
76.6
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.41
-2.7
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.54
0.76
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
2
13.33
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
21
29.79
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
35
233.33
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PAverified
162
229.79
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
2.57
2.57
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.61
2.61
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0.06
0.06
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.13
0.13
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
6
40
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
34
48.23
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.84
Doug Bird
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
6.67
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
6
8.51
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.42
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.42
Doug Bird
Career
Per 600 PA
Jon Lester
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100