Kurt Birkins vs. Joe Niekro — Career Comparison

Kurt Birkins
Gen XCaliforniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaBaltimore OriolesAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Joe Niekro
Silent GenerationOhioThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaHouston AstrosAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Joe Niekro 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. Joe Niekro posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.59 and WHIP 1.339 compared to 5.85 and 1.553 for Kurt Birkins. By the career numbers, Joe Niekro had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Kurt Birkins and Joe Niekro

Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
22
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
7.17
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
702
1.76
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.24
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
500
1.26
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.72
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
221
0.55
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.48
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
204
0.51
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
60
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.33
3.33
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
71.23
71.23
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
107
0.27
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
29
0.07
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.04
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
49
5.85
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1431
3.59
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.85
5.85
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.59
3.59
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.08
5.08
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.61
3.61
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.14
4.14
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.14
4.14
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.276
0.276
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.254
0.254
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
226
27
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10752
27
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
75.1
9
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3584
9
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
82
9.8
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3466
8.7
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.8
9.8
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.7
8.7
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
0.84
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
276
0.69
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.84
0.84
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.69
0.69
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.39
0.39
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
35
4.18
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1262
3.17
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.18
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.18
4.18
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.17
3.17
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
64
7.65
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1747
4.39
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.65
7.65
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.39
4.39
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.07
1.07
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.49
2.49
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.314
1.314
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.84
0.84
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.48
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
172
0.43
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.72
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
65
0.16
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.02
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
343
40.98
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15166
38.08
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
1.55
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
93
0.23
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
51
6.09
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1620
4.07
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.09
6.09
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.07
4.07
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.24
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
106
0.27
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.36
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
96
0.24
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.84
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
200
0.5
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.553
1.553
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.319
1.319
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
297
35.48
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13637
34.24
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.85
0.85
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.31
2.31
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.332
0.332
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.275
0.275
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40.98
40.98
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.08
38.08

Fielding Stats for Kurt Birkins and Joe Niekro

Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
22
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
60
7.17
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
702
1.76
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.24
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
500
1.26
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
226
27
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10752
27
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
75.1
9
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3584
9
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
253
0.64
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
1.55
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
532
1.34
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
0.06
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
1.55
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
810
2.03
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
1.55
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
785
1.97
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.91
96.91
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.217
0.217
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.118
1.118
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.33
3.33
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
71.23
71.23
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.24
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
41
0.1
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Kurt Birkins and Joe Niekro

Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
3
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22
22
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
60
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
706
363.61
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1165
600
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
973
501.12
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.156
0.156
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.47
0.47
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
152
78.28
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
124
63.86
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
13.39
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
28
14.42
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.184
0.184
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.001
0.001
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.007
0.007
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32.52
16.75
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
183
94.25
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
191
98.37
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.188
0.188
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.188
0.188
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.376
0.376
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.032
0.032
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.131
0.131
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.266
0.266
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.211
0.211
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
55
28.33
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
72
37.08
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
126
64.89
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
21.46
11.05
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
38
19.57
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 600 PA
262
134.94
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.45
4.45
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.15
0.15
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
147
75.71
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.09
Kurt Birkins
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 600 PA
17
8.76
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.52
Kurt Birkins
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Niekro
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100