John Harkins vs. Fred Newman — Career Comparison

Fred Newman built a career as a starting pitcher and John Harkins as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Fred Newman posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.41 and WHIP 1.256 compared to 4.09 and 1.369 for John Harkins. By the career numbers, Fred Newman had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.