Darin Downs vs. Earl Johnson — Career Comparison

Earl Johnson built a career as a starting pitcher and Darin Downs as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Earl Johnson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.3 and WHIP 1.516 compared to 4.76 and 1.401 for Darin Downs. By the career numbers, Earl Johnson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.