Earl Cook vs. Matt Manning — Career Comparison

Matt Manning built a career as a starting pitcher and Earl Cook as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Matt Manning posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.43 and WHIP 1.287 compared to 4.5 and 2.000 for Earl Cook. By the career numbers, Matt Manning had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.