Shawn Holman vs. Ryan Rowland-Smith — Career Comparison

Ryan Rowland-Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Shawn Holman as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Shawn Holman posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.8 and WHIP 2.000 compared to 4.57 and 1.432 for Ryan Rowland-Smith. By the career numbers, Shawn Holman had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.