Bill James vs. Joe Kohlman — Career Comparison

Bill James
Lost GenerationCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaBoston BravesNational 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 2.28 and WHIP 1.233 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
4
4
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
84
1.4
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.96
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
1.01
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.66
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.61
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.35
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
63.79
63.79
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.62
72.62
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
22.22
22.22
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
0.73
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.08
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.03
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
2.28
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
5.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.28
2.28
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.27
5.27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.97
2.97
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.07
4.07
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.63
3.63
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.43
4.43
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.235
0.235
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.26
0.26
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1625
27
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
82
27
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
541.2
9
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
27.1
9
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
469
7.79
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
27
8.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.79
7.79
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.89
8.89
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.23
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.33
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.23
0.23
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.33
0.33
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.17
0.17
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.11
0.11
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
199
3.31
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
3.31
3.31
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.61
4.61
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
253
4.2
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
2.63
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.2
4.2
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.63
2.63
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.835
0.835
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.805
0.805
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
0.28
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.37
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.03
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2217
36.84
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
118
38.85
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
0.33
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
196
3.26
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
5.6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
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
1.233
1.233
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.5
1.5
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1996
33.16
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
104
34.24
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.33
2.33
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.89
1.89
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.263
0.263
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.274
0.274
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.84
36.84
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.85
38.85

Fielding Stats for Bill James and Joe Kohlman

Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
84
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
13
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
148
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
178
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
161
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
Bill James
Career
Per 9 Innings
90.45
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
100
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.917
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
9
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
4
4
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
88
251.43
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
9
675
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
210
600
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
8
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
199
568.57
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
600
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.231
0.231
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.529
0.529
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
46
131.43
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
41
117.14
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
14.29
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
5
14.29
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.109
0.109
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
12.16
34.74
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
8.38
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
145.71
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49
140
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
1
75
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.243
0.243
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.256
0.256
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.125
0.125
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.499
0.499
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.025
0.025
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.173
0.173
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.088
0.088
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.366
0.366
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.297
0.297
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
51.43
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
25.71
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
77.14
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13.98
39.94
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.14
-10.38
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.86
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
5.71
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 PAverified
44
125.71
Joe Kohlman
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
150
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.77
4.77
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
4
4
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.05
0.05
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
22.86
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
2
5.71
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
2
5.71
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bill James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Joe Kohlman
Career
Per 600 PA