Robert Gibson vs. Earnest Long — Career Comparison

Earnest Long built a career as a starting pitcher and Robert Gibson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Earnest Long posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5 and WHIP 1.889 compared to 9.86 and 2.619 for Robert Gibson. By the career numbers, Earnest Long had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.