Jess Buckles vs. Dave Downs — Career Comparison

Dave Downs built a career as a starting pitcher and Jess Buckles as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jess Buckles posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.25 and WHIP 1.000 compared to 2.74 and 1.217 for Dave Downs. By the career numbers, Jess Buckles had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.