James Cooper vs. Matt Stites — Career Comparison

James Cooper built a career as a starting pitcher and Matt Stites as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Matt Stites posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 7.13 and WHIP 1.656 compared to 9 and 2.167 for James Cooper. By the career numbers, Matt Stites had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.