Darin Downs vs. J. D. Martin — Career Comparison

J. D. Martin 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. J. D. Martin posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.32 and WHIP 1.448 compared to 4.76 and 1.401 for Darin Downs. By the career numbers, J. D. Martin had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.