Steven Jackson vs. Ismael Valdez — Career Comparison

Ismael Valdez built a career as a starting pitcher and Steven Jackson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ismael Valdez posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.09 and WHIP 1.332 compared to 4.31 and 1.583 for Steven Jackson. By the career numbers, Ismael Valdez had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.