Jim Blackburn vs. Dave Downs — Career Comparison

Dave Downs built a career as a starting pitcher and Jim Blackburn as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dave Downs posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.74 and WHIP 1.217 compared to 5.5 and 1.722 for Jim Blackburn. By the career numbers, Dave Downs had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.