John Jackson vs. Shad Williams — Career Comparison

John Jackson built a career as a starting pitcher and Shad Williams as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Jackson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 6 and WHIP 2.019 compared to 8.59 and 2.352 for Shad Williams. By the career numbers, John Jackson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.