Sammy Curran vs. Joe Niekro — Career Comparison

Joe Niekro built a career as a starting pitcher and Sammy Curran as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Sammy Curran posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.35 and WHIP 0.900 compared to 3.59 and 1.339 for Joe Niekro. By the career numbers, Sammy Curran had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.