Joe Connors vs. John Middleton — Career Comparison

John Middleton 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. Joe Connors posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.57 and WHIP 2.238 compared to 7.36 and 1.909 for John Middleton. By the career numbers, Joe Connors had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.