Bill James vs. Joe Kohlman — Career Comparison

Bill James
Lost GenerationMichiganThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Joe Kohlman
Greatest GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher

Bill James built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Kohlman as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.2 and WHIP 1.431 compared to 5.27 and 1.500 for Joe Kohlman. By the career numbers, Bill James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Bill James and Joe Kohlman

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
1.55
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.96
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
147
1.12
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.66
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
65
0.5
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.54
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
47.79
47.79
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.41
72.41
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
22.22
22.22
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
0.52
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.07
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
420
3.2
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
5.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.2
3.2
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.27
5.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.79
3.79
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.07
4.07
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.08
4.08
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.43
4.43
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.256
0.256
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.26
0.26
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3539
27
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
82
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1179.2
9
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
27.1
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1110
8.47
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
27
8.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.47
8.47
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.89
8.89
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.12
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.33
0.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.08
0.08
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.11
0.11
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
578
4.41
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
14
4.61
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.41
4.41
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.61
4.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
408
3.11
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
2.63
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.63
2.63
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.01
2.01
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.836
0.836
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.805
0.805
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
32
0.24
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
48
0.37
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.02
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4958
37.83
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
118
38.85
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
29
0.22
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
559
4.26
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
5.6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.26
4.26
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.6
5.6
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.431
1.431
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.5
1.5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4332
33.05
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
104
34.24
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.75
2.75
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.89
1.89
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.28
0.28
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.274
0.274
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.83
37.83
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.85
38.85

Fielding Stats for Bill James and Joe Kohlman

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
203
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
50
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
384
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
31
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
465
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
434
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
93.33
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
100
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.138
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.667
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Bill James and Joe Kohlman

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
203
294.92
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
9
675
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
413
600
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
8
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
358
520.1
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.143
0.143
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.436
0.436
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
51
74.09
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
44
63.92
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
8.72
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
10.17
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.137
0.137
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.08
19
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
8.38
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59
85.71
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
81
117.68
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.209
0.209
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.165
0.165
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.374
0.374
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.022
0.022
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.135
0.135
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.088
0.088
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.291
0.291
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
17.43
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
53.75
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9.26
13.45
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.14
-10.38
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
39.23
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
138
200.48
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
150
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
2.99
2.99
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
4
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
36.32
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.45
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2.91
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
4.36
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33.33
33.33
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA