Paul Carpenter vs. Dave Downs — Career Comparison

Dave Downs built a career as a starting pitcher and Paul Carpenter as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Paul Carpenter posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.17 and WHIP 1.565 compared to 2.74 and 1.217 for Dave Downs. By the career numbers, Paul Carpenter had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.