Joe Cowley vs. Scott Patterson — Career Comparison

Joe Cowley built a career as a starting pitcher and Scott Patterson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Scott Patterson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.93 and WHIP 1.929 compared to 4.2 and 1.391 for Joe Cowley. By the career numbers, Scott Patterson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.