Erik Davis vs. Russ Ortiz — Career Comparison

Russ Ortiz built a career as a starting pitcher and Erik Davis as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Erik Davis posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.12 and WHIP 1.269 compared to 4.51 and 1.514 for Russ Ortiz. By the career numbers, Erik Davis had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.