Ben Bowden vs. Roy Branch — Career Comparison

Roy Branch built a career as a starting pitcher and Ben Bowden as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ben Bowden posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 6.02 and WHIP 1.748 compared to 7.94 and 1.765 for Roy Branch. By the career numbers, Ben Bowden had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.