Bill Burdick vs. Andy Messersmith — Career Comparison

Andy Messersmith built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Burdick as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Andy Messersmith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.86 and WHIP 1.163 compared to 3.17 and 1.272 for Bill Burdick. By the career numbers, Andy Messersmith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.