Pat Combs vs. Ed Plank — Career Comparison

Pat Combs built a career as a starting pitcher and Ed Plank as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Pat Combs posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.22 and WHIP 1.492 compared to 5.23 and 2.032 for Ed Plank. By the career numbers, Pat Combs had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.