Dave Downs vs. Luis Rivera — Career Comparison

Dave Downs built a career as a starting pitcher and Luis Rivera as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Luis Rivera posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.23 and WHIP 1.636 compared to 2.74 and 1.217 for Dave Downs. By the career numbers, Luis Rivera had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.