Joe Bitker vs. Bill James — Career Comparison

Joe Bitker
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaTexas RangersAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Bill James
Lost GenerationCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaBoston BravesNational LeagueStarting Pitcher

Bill James built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Bitker as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.28 and WHIP 1.233 compared to 4.73 and 1.500 for Joe Bitker. By the career numbers, Bill James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Joe Bitker and Bill James

Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
5.06
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
84
1.4
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
1.01
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.61
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.35
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
63.79
63.79
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.62
72.62
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
0.73
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.08
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.03
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
14
4.73
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
2.28
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.73
4.73
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.28
2.28
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.15
4.15
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.97
2.97
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.61
4.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.63
3.63
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.24
0.24
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.235
0.235
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
80
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1625
27
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
26.2
9
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
541.2
9
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
25
8.44
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
469
7.79
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.44
8.44
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.79
7.79
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
1.35
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.23
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.35
1.35
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.23
0.23
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.27
0.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.17
0.17
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
12
4.05
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
199
3.31
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
1.01
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.05
4.05
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.31
3.31
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
8.1
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
253
4.2
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.1
8.1
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.2
4.2
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.6
1.6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.35
1.35
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.835
0.835
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.68
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
0.28
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.34
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.37
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.03
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
118
39.83
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2217
36.84
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
2.36
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
20
0.33
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
14
4.73
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
196
3.26
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.73
4.73
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.68
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.388
1.388
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.233
1.233
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
104
35.1
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1996
33.16
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.93
0.93
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.33
2.33
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.276
0.276
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.263
0.263
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39.83
39.83
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.84
36.84

Fielding Stats for Joe Bitker and Bill James

Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
5.06
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
84
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
80
27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
26.2
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
1.01
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
148
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
1.35
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
178
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
1.35
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
161
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.45
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.267
0.267
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.917
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
9
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Joe Bitker and Bill James

Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
4
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
15
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
88
251.43
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
210
600
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
199
568.57
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.231
0.231
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.529
0.529
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
46
131.43
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
41
117.14
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
14.29
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
14.29
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.109
0.109
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12.16
34.74
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
145.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49
140
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.243
0.243
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.256
0.256
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.499
0.499
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.025
0.025
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.173
0.173
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.366
0.366
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.297
0.297
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
51.43
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
25.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
77.14
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.98
39.94
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.86
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
5.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
44
125.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.77
4.77
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.05
0.05
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
22.86
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
5.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
5.71
Joe Bitker
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100