Jim Gardner vs. Mark Prior — Career Comparison

Mark Prior built a career as a starting pitcher and Jim Gardner as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Mark Prior posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.51 and WHIP 1.240 compared to 3.85 and 1.413 for Jim Gardner. By the career numbers, Mark Prior had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.