Bill James vs. Darold Knowles — Career Comparison

Bill James
Lost GenerationCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaBoston BravesNational 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. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.28 and WHIP 1.233 compared to 3.12 and 1.439 for Darold Knowles. 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 Darold Knowles

Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
84
1.4
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
765
6.3
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
1.01
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.07
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.61
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
66
0.54
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
21
0.35
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
74
0.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
63.79
63.79
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
47.14
47.14
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.62
72.62
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.05
1.05
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
0.73
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.08
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.03
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
143
1.18
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
2.28
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
378
3.12
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.28
2.28
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.12
3.12
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.97
2.97
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.55
3.55
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.63
3.63
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.95
3.95
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.235
0.235
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.249
0.249
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1625
27
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3276
27
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
541.2
9
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1092
9
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
469
7.79
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1006
8.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.79
7.79
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.29
8.29
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.23
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.54
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.23
0.23
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.54
0.54
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.17
0.17
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
199
3.31
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
480
3.96
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
85
0.7
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.31
3.31
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.96
3.96
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
253
4.2
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
681
5.61
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.2
4.2
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.61
5.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.835
0.835
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.063
1.063
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.28
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
30
0.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
22
0.37
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
38
0.31
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.03
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.09
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2217
36.84
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4658
38.39
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
20
0.33
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
417
3.44
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
196
3.26
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
437
3.6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
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
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.233
1.233
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.361
1.361
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1996
33.16
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4048
33.36
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.33
2.33
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.57
0.57
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.263
0.263
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.285
0.285
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.84
36.84
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.39
38.39

Fielding Stats for Bill James and Darold Knowles

Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
84
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
13
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
51
0.42
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
148
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
276
2.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 9 Innings
29
0.24
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
178
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
356
2.93
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
161
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
327
2.7
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.45
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
91.85
91.85
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.917
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
9
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
4
4
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
16
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
88
251.43
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
766
3147.95
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
210
600
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
146
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
199
568.57
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
125
513.7
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.231
0.231
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.12
0.12
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.529
0.529
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.397
0.397
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
46
131.43
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
15
61.64
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
41
117.14
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
14
57.53
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
14.29
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
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
5
14.29
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.11
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.109
0.109
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
12.16
34.74
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
3.22
13.22
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
145.71
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
17
69.86
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49
140
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
25
102.74
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.243
0.243
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.184
0.184
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.256
0.256
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.136
0.136
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.499
0.499
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.32
0.32
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.025
0.025
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.016
0.016
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.173
0.173
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.117
0.117
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.366
0.366
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.243
0.243
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.297
0.297
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0.181
0.181
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
51.43
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
2
8.22
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
9
25.71
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
45.21
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
77.14
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
13
53.42
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.98
39.94
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
1.13
4.62
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
1
2.86
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.11
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
2
5.71
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
36.99
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
44
125.71
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
43
176.71
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.77
4.77
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
3.4
3.4
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.05
0.05
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.21
0.21
Bill James
Career
Per 600 PA
8
22.86
Darold Knowles
Careerverified
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
2
5.71
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
2
5.71
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Darold Knowles
Career
Per 600 PA