Ed Cole vs. Bill Williams — Career Comparison

Bill Williams built a career as a starting pitcher and Ed Cole as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ed Cole posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.31 and WHIP 1.874 compared to 7.71 and 1.714 for Bill Williams. By the career numbers, Ed Cole had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.