Fred Hayner vs. Zach Thompson — Career Comparison

Zach Thompson built a career as a starting pitcher and Fred Hayner as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Zach Thompson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.36 and WHIP 1.383 compared to 13.5 and 3.000 for Fred Hayner. By the career numbers, Zach Thompson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.