Robbie Erlin vs. John Ryan — Career Comparison

Robbie Erlin built a career as a starting pitcher and John Ryan as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Ryan posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.35 and WHIP 1.510 compared to 4.87 and 1.297 for Robbie Erlin. By the career numbers, John Ryan had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.