Mike Cosgrove vs. Bill James — Career Comparison

Mike Cosgrove
Baby BoomersArizonaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaHouston AstrosAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Bill James
Lost GenerationMichiganThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher

Bill James built a career as a starting pitcher and Mike Cosgrove as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.2 and WHIP 1.431 compared to 4.03 and 1.544 for Mike Cosgrove. By the career numbers, Bill James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Mike Cosgrove and Bill James

Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
119
3.9
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
1.55
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
0.66
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
147
1.12
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
0.39
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
65
0.5
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.36
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.54
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52.17
52.17
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
47.79
47.79
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
16.81
16.81
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.41
72.41
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.07
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
0.52
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.07
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.26
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
123
4.03
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
420
3.2
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.03
4.03
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.2
3.2
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.14
4.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.79
3.79
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.34
4.34
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.08
4.08
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.264
0.264
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.256
0.256
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
824
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3539
27
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
274.2
9
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1179.2
9
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
271
8.88
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1110
8.47
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.88
8.88
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.47
8.47
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
0.43
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.12
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.43
0.43
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.11
0.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.08
0.08
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
145
4.75
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
578
4.41
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.26
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.75
4.75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.41
4.41
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
122
4
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
408
3.11
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.11
3.11
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.03
1.03
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.01
2.01
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.972
0.972
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.836
0.836
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
0.52
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
32
0.24
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.1
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
48
0.37
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.02
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1207
39.55
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4958
37.83
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
36
1.18
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
29
0.22
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
132
4.33
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
559
4.26
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.33
4.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.26
4.26
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.62
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.49
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
1.08
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.515
1.515
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.431
1.431
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1025
33.59
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4332
33.05
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.11
1.11
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.75
2.75
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.29
0.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.28
0.28
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39.55
39.55
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.83
37.83

Fielding Stats for Mike Cosgrove and Bill James

Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
119
3.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
0.65
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
826
27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
275.1
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.16
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
50
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
39
1.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
384
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.07
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
46
1.5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
465
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
1.44
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
434
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
95.65
95.65
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
93.33
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.37
0.37
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.138
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16.81
16.81
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.16
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Mike Cosgrove and Bill James

Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
5
5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PAverified
119
1020
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
203
294.92
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
70
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
413
600
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
56
480
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
358
520.1
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.089
0.089
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.143
0.143
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.386
0.386
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.436
0.436
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
5
42.86
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
74.09
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
4
34.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
44
63.92
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
8.72
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
10.17
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.137
0.137
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.85
7.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.08
19
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
6
51.43
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
85.71
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
9
77.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
81
117.68
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.15
0.15
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.209
0.209
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.107
0.107
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.165
0.165
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.257
0.257
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.374
0.374
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.018
0.018
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.022
0.022
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.135
0.135
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.291
0.291
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0.119
0.119
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
2
17.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
17.43
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.71
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
53.75
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.92
-7.91
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9.26
13.45
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
4
34.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
39.23
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
120
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
138
200.48
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
5
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
2.99
2.99
Mike Cosgrove
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.29
0.29
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.2
0.2
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PAverified
10
85.71
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
25
36.32
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.91
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Mike Cosgrove
Career
Per 600 PA
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33.33
33.33