John Jackson vs. Kevin Shackelford — Career Comparison

John Jackson built a career as a starting pitcher and Kevin Shackelford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Kevin Shackelford posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.35 and WHIP 1.578 compared to 6 and 2.019 for John Jackson. By the career numbers, Kevin Shackelford had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.