Kurt Birkins vs. Rube Vickers — Career Comparison

Rube Vickers 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. Rube Vickers posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.93 and WHIP 1.190 compared to 5.85 and 1.553 for Kurt Birkins. By the career numbers, Rube Vickers had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.