John Hibbard vs. Joe Ryan — Career Comparison

Joe Ryan built a career as a starting pitcher and John Hibbard as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Hibbard posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.65 and WHIP 1.588 compared to 3.79 and 1.063 for Joe Ryan. By the career numbers, John Hibbard had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.