Bill Burns vs. J. J. Thobe — Career Comparison

Bill Burns built a career as a starting pitcher and J. J. Thobe as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Burns posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.72 and WHIP 1.187 compared to 9 and 2.250 for J. J. Thobe. By the career numbers, Bill Burns had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.