Ben Flowers vs. Russ Van Atta — Career Comparison

Russ Van Atta 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. Ben Flowers posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.49 and WHIP 1.461 compared to 5.6 and 1.693 for Russ Van Atta. By the career numbers, Ben Flowers had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.