George Blackburn vs. Steve Renko — Career Comparison

Steve Renko built a career as a starting pitcher and George Blackburn as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Steve Renko posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.99 and WHIP 1.417 compared to 6.82 and 1.394 for George Blackburn. By the career numbers, Steve Renko had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.