Joe Bitker vs. Jim Owens — Career Comparison

Jim Owens 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. Jim Owens posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.31 and WHIP 1.489 compared to 4.73 and 1.500 for Joe Bitker. By the career numbers, Jim Owens had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.