Kurt Birkins vs. Nate Cornejo — Career Comparison

Nate Cornejo built a career as a starting pitcher and Kurt Birkins as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Nate Cornejo posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.41 and WHIP 1.700 compared to 5.85 and 1.553 for Kurt Birkins. By the career numbers, Nate Cornejo had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.