John Ely vs. Clarence Pickrel — Career Comparison

John Ely built a career as a starting pitcher and Clarence Pickrel as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Clarence Pickrel posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.55 and WHIP 1.820 compared to 5.7 and 1.552 for John Ely. By the career numbers, Clarence Pickrel had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.