Joe Brown vs. Mel Parnell — Career Comparison

Joe Brown
Pre-GenerationalCANNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueRelief Pitcher
Mel Parnell
Greatest GenerationLouisianaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaBoston Red SoxAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Mel Parnell built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Brown as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Mel Parnell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.5 and WHIP 1.413 compared to 5.11 and 1.352 for Joe Brown. By the career numbers, Mel Parnell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Joe Brown and Mel Parnell

Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
10
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
1.13
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
289
1.48
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
1.02
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
232
1.19
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.41
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
123
0.63
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.61
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
0.39
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
40
40
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
62.12
62.12
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90.91
90.91
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
80.28
80.28
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.92
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
113
0.58
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
0.1
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.05
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
50
5.11
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
682
3.5
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.11
5.11
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.5
3.5
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.62
3.62
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.88
3.88
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.15
3.15
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.28
4.28
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.279
0.279
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.254
0.254
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
264
27
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5258
27
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
88
9
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1752.2
9
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
108
11.05
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1715
8.81
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
11.05
11.05
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.81
8.81
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.41
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
104
0.53
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.41
0.41
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.53
0.53
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.36
0.36
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.36
0.36
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
1.13
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
758
3.89
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.02
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.13
1.13
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.89
3.89
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
36
3.68
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
732
3.76
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.68
3.68
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.76
3.76
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.27
3.27
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.53
2.53
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.534
0.534
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.85
0.85
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.1
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
41
0.21
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
0.14
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.1
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
398
40.7
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7547
38.75
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.1
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
36
0.18
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
69
7.06
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
797
4.09
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.06
7.06
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.09
4.09
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.352
1.352
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.411
1.411
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
387
39.58
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6761
34.72
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.27
6.27
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.76
2.76
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.3
0.3
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.272
0.272
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40.7
40.7
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.75
38.75

Fielding Stats for Joe Brown and Mel Parnell

Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
10
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
23
1.38
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
289
9.65
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
1.47
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
450
27
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
809
27
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
150
9
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
269.2
9
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
0.96
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
69
2.3
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
1.26
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
327
10.91
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.24
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
0.4
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
41
2.46
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
408
13.62
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
2.22
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
396
13.22
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.24
90.24
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.06
97.06
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.609
1.609
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.37
1.37
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15.22
15.22
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.12
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
0.9
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.12
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Joe Brown and Mel Parnell

Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
10
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
20
150
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
293
241.15
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
80
600
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
729
600
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PAverified
80
600
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
668
549.79
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
0.198
0.198
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.413
0.413
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.502
0.502
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PAverified
16
120
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
132
108.64
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PAverified
15
112.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
112
92.18
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
1
7.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
17
13.99
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.65
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.82
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
1
7.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
20
16.46
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.063
0.063
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.152
0.152
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.002
0.002
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.008
0.008
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
3.14
23.54
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
34.35
28.28
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
17
127.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
156
128.4
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
16
120
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
163
134.16
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.2
0.2
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.233
0.233
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.213
0.213
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.234
0.234
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.413
0.413
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.467
0.467
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.013
0.013
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.036
0.036
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.163
0.163
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0.266
0.266
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.344
0.344
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.246
0.246
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
0.229
0.229
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
60
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
52
42.8
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
3
22.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50
41.15
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
11
82.5
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
101
83.13
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
3.06
22.99
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
34.85
28.69
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.65
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
23.87
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
15
112.5
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PAverified
94
77.37
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
5.33
5.33
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7.76
7.76
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.31
0.31
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
30
24.69
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Brown
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
13
10.7
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.65
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.65
Joe Brown
Career
Per 600 PA
Mel Parnell
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100