Bud Black vs. Bill Pleis — Career Comparison

Bud Black built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Pleis as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Pleis posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.07 and WHIP 1.468 compared to 4.22 and 1.688 for Bud Black. By the career numbers, Bill Pleis had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.