Al Jackson vs. Earl Mattingly — Career Comparison

Al Jackson built a career as a starting pitcher and Earl Mattingly as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Earl Mattingly posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.51 and WHIP 1.744 compared to 3.98 and 1.366 for Al Jackson. By the career numbers, Earl Mattingly had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.