Babe Doty vs. Phil Niekro — Career Comparison

Phil Niekro built a career as a starting pitcher and Babe Doty as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Babe Doty posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1 and WHIP 1.111 compared to 3.35 and 1.284 for Phil Niekro. By the career numbers, Babe Doty had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.