Doug Bird vs. John Sullivan — Career Comparison

John Sullivan 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. Doug Bird posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.99 and WHIP 1.339 compared to 4.2 and 2.133 for John Sullivan. By the career numbers, Doug Bird had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.