Ben Flowers vs. Masahiro Tanaka — Career Comparison

Masahiro Tanaka built a career as a starting pitcher and Ben Flowers as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Masahiro Tanaka posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.74 and WHIP 1.131 compared to 4.49 and 1.461 for Ben Flowers. By the career numbers, Masahiro Tanaka had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.