Joe Connors vs. Bill Merritt — Career Comparison

Joe Connors
Pre-GenerationalNew JerseyNorth AmericaAltoona Mountain CityUnion AssociationRelief Pitcher
Bill Merritt
Lost GenerationPennsylvaniaNorth AmericaBrooklyn Royal GiantsEastern Colored LeagueStarting Pitcher

Bill Merritt built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Connors as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Merritt posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.85 and WHIP 1.476 compared to 5.57 and 2.238 for Joe Connors. By the career numbers, Bill Merritt had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Joe Connors and Bill Merritt

Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
3
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
1.29
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
1.31
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.86
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
1.09
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.44
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.86
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.65
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40
40
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
66.67
66.67
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
83.33
83.33
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.86
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
0.8
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.07
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
5.57
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
3.85
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.57
5.57
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.85
3.85
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.82
8.82
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.28
4.28
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.24
4.24
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.18
4.18
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.393
0.393
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.279
0.279
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
27
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
372
27
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
9
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
124
9
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
42
18
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
127
9.22
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
18
18
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.22
9.22
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.43
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.44
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.43
0.43
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.44
0.44
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.33
0.33
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.33
0.33
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
2.14
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
56
4.06
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.14
2.14
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.06
4.06
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.43
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
4.06
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.43
0.43
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.06
4.06
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.33
0.33
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.286
0.286
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.903
0.903
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.86
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.29
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.29
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
112
48
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
533
38.69
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.43
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.22
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
28
12
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
5.08
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.08
5.08
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
18
1.31
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.94
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.238
2.238
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.476
1.476
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
107
45.86
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
455
33.02
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.33
9.33
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.89
3.89
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.391
0.391
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.308
0.308
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48
48
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.69
38.69

Fielding Stats for Joe Connors and Bill Merritt

Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
3
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
1.11
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
1.21
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
28
1.1
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
171
27
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
690
27
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
57
9
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
230
9
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
1.26
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
32
1.25
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
1.11
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
34
1.33
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.47
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.08
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
2.84
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
68
2.66
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
2.37
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
2.58
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
83.33
83.33
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.06
97.06
Joe Connors
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.143
2.143
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.129
2.129
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90.32
90.32
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Joe Connors and Bill Merritt

Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
3
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
6
156.52
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
192
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
23
600
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
100
600
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PAverified
22
573.91
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
92
552
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.196
0.196
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.239
0.239
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.546
0.546
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
2
52.17
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
108
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
2
52.17
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
84
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
24
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
24
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.222
0.222
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.26
6.69
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6.23
37.39
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
2
52.17
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22
132
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
3
78.26
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
23
138
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.13
0.13
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.237
0.237
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.239
0.239
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.221
0.221
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.476
0.476
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.043
0.043
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.081
0.081
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.167
0.167
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.15
0.15
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.432
0.432
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.196
0.196
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
2
52.17
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
72
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
30
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
2
52.17
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
17
102
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.52
-13.45
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6.33
37.98
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
1
26.09
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
30
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
18
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
30
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
30
Joe Connors
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill Merritt
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100