Fred Buckingham vs. Johnny Marcum — Career Comparison

Johnny Marcum built a career as a starting pitcher and Fred Buckingham as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Johnny Marcum posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.66 and WHIP 1.467 compared to 6 and 2.667 for Fred Buckingham. By the career numbers, Johnny Marcum had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.