Bill James vs. Darold Knowles — Career Comparison

Bill James
Lost GenerationMichiganThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Darold Knowles
Silent GenerationMissouriThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherAll-Star

Bill James built a career as a starting pitcher and Darold Knowles as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Darold Knowles posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.12 and WHIP 1.439 compared to 3.2 and 1.431 for Bill James. By the career numbers, Darold Knowles had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Bill James and Darold Knowles

Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
8
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
203
1.55
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
765
6.3
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
147
1.12
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.07
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.5
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
0.54
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
71
0.54
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
74
0.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
47.79
47.79
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
47.14
47.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.41
72.41
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.05
1.05
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
0.52
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.07
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
143
1.18
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
420
3.2
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
378
3.12
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.2
3.2
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.12
3.12
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.79
3.79
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.55
3.55
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.08
4.08
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.95
3.95
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.256
0.256
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.249
0.249
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3539
27
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
3276
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1179.2
9
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1092
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1110
8.47
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1006
8.29
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.47
8.47
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.29
8.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.12
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.54
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.54
0.54
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.08
0.08
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
578
4.41
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
480
3.96
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
85
0.7
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.41
4.41
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.96
3.96
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
408
3.11
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
681
5.61
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.11
3.11
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.61
5.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.01
2.01
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.836
0.836
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.063
1.063
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
32
0.24
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
30
0.25
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
48
0.37
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38
0.31
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.02
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.09
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4958
37.83
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4658
38.39
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
29
0.22
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
417
3.44
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
559
4.26
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
437
3.6
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.26
4.26
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.6
3.6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
53
0.44
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
39
0.32
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
42
0.35
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.431
1.431
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.361
1.361
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4332
33.05
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4048
33.36
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.75
2.75
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.57
0.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.28
0.28
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.285
0.285
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.83
37.83
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.39
38.39

Fielding Stats for Bill James and Darold Knowles

Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
203
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
765
6.3
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.07
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3276
27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1092
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
50
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
51
0.42
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
384
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
276
2.27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
29
0.24
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
465
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
356
2.93
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
434
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
327
2.7
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
93.33
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
91.85
91.85
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.138
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.428
0.428
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.05
1.05
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.13
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Bill James and Darold Knowles

Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
8
8
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
203
294.92
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
766
3147.95
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
413
600
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
146
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
358
520.1
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
125
513.7
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.143
0.143
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.12
0.12
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.436
0.436
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.397
0.397
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
74.09
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
15
61.64
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
44
63.92
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
14
57.53
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
8.72
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1.45
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.11
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
10.17
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.137
0.137
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.067
0.067
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.08
19
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
3.22
13.22
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
85.71
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
17
69.86
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
81
117.68
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
25
102.74
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.209
0.209
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.184
0.184
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.165
0.165
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.136
0.136
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.374
0.374
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.32
0.32
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.022
0.022
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.016
0.016
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.135
0.135
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.117
0.117
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.291
0.291
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.243
0.243
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.181
0.181
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
2
8.22
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
12
17.43
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PAverified
11
45.21
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
53.75
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
13
53.42
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9.26
13.45
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1.13
4.62
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
39.23
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
9
36.99
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
138
200.48
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
43
176.71
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
2.99
2.99
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.4
3.4
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.2
0.2
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.21
0.21
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
25
36.32
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PAverified
10
41.1
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.91
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33.33
33.33
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA