Steve Cooke vs. John Purdin — Career Comparison

Steve Cooke built a career as a starting pitcher and John Purdin as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Purdin posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.9 and WHIP 1.410 compared to 4.31 and 1.454 for Steve Cooke. By the career numbers, John Purdin had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.