George Cheatham vs. Phil Niekro — Career Comparison

Phil Niekro built a career as a starting pitcher and George Cheatham as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. George Cheatham posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 0.818 compared to 3.35 and 1.284 for Phil Niekro. By the career numbers, George Cheatham had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.