Marty Decker vs. Mel Parnell — Career Comparison

Mel Parnell built a career as a starting pitcher and Marty Decker as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Marty Decker posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.08 and WHIP 0.923 compared to 3.5 and 1.413 for Mel Parnell. By the career numbers, Marty Decker had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.