Bruce Howard vs. David Patton — Career Comparison

Bruce Howard built a career as a starting pitcher and David Patton as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bruce Howard posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.18 and WHIP 1.326 compared to 6.83 and 1.880 for David Patton. By the career numbers, Bruce Howard had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.