Tom Fordham vs. Cal McLish — Career Comparison

Tom Fordham
Gen XCaliforniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Cal McLish
Greatest GenerationOklahomaThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaCleveland GuardiansAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Cal McLish built a career as a starting pitcher and Tom Fordham as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Cal McLish posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4 and WHIP 1.418 compared to 6.61 and 1.867 for Tom Fordham. By the career numbers, Cal McLish had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Tom Fordham and Cal McLish

Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
15
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
36
4.96
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
352
1.97
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.83
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
209
1.17
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.14
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
92
0.51
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.41
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
92
0.51
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
25
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
50
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
16.67
16.67
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.38
59.38
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57
0.32
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.03
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.03
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
48
6.61
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
715
4
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.61
6.61
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.42
6.42
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.15
4.15
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.26
6.26
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.52
4.52
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.275
0.275
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.265
0.265
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
196
27
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4827
27
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
65.1
9
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1609
9
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
9.37
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
1685
9.43
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.37
9.37
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.43
9.43
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
9
1.24
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
164
0.92
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.24
1.24
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.92
0.92
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.25
0.25
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.47
0.47
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
52
7.16
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
552
3.09
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.28
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
0.25
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.16
7.16
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.09
3.09
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
4.55
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
713
3.99
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.55
4.55
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.92
0.92
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.03
2.03
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.301
1.301
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.786
0.786
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.14
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.21
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.28
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
0.15
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.02
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
306
42.15
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6938
38.81
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.83
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
70
0.39
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
49
6.75
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
824
4.61
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.75
6.75
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.61
4.61
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.28
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.41
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.69
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.837
1.837
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.39
1.39
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
247
34.03
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6359
35.57
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.36
1.36
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.34
2.34
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.288
0.288
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.278
0.278
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
42.15
42.15
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.81
38.81

Fielding Stats for Tom Fordham and Cal McLish

Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
15
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
36
4.96
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
352
2.35
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.83
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
176
1.17
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
196
27
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4049
27
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
65.1
9
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1349.2
9
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.41
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
131
0.87
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
1.79
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
302
2.01
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.07
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
2.2
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
444
2.96
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
2.2
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
433
2.89
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
97.52
97.52
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.444
0.444
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.23
1.23
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
16.67
16.67
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
50
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
0.18
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Tom Fordham and Cal McLish

Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
15
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PAverified
36
21600
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
368
391.49
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
1
600
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
564
600
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
600
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
490
521.28
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.149
0.149
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.471
0.471
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
73
77.66
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
62.77
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
9.57
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.13
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
3.19
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
14.89
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.192
0.192
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.006
0.006
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.041
0.041
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22.4
23.83
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
95
101.06
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
118
125.53
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.22
0.22
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.194
0.194
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.414
0.414
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.045
0.045
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.147
0.147
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.332
0.332
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.239
0.239
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
47
50
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
30
31.91
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
74
78.72
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.11
-66.4
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16.64
17.71
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
45
47.87
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1
600
Cal McLish
Career
Per 600 PAverified
196
208.51
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.88
2.88
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.23
0.23
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
28.72
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.13
Tom Fordham
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 600 PA
8
8.51
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.06
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.06
Tom Fordham
Career
Per 600 PA
Cal McLish
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100