John Carden vs. Brandon McCarthy — Career Comparison

Brandon McCarthy built a career as a starting pitcher and John Carden as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Brandon McCarthy posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.2 and WHIP 1.317 compared to 22.5 and 4.000 for John Carden. By the career numbers, Brandon McCarthy had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.