John Firth vs. Jim Nelson — Career Comparison

Jim Nelson built a career as a starting pitcher and John Firth as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jim Nelson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.06 and WHIP 1.592 compared to 8 and 2.111 for John Firth. By the career numbers, Jim Nelson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.