Bob James vs. Joe McClain — Career Comparison

Bob James
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Joe McClain
Silent GenerationTennesseeThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaWashington SenatorsAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher

Joe McClain built a career as a starting pitcher and Bob James as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bob James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.8 and WHIP 1.371 compared to 4.42 and 1.360 for Joe McClain. By the career numbers, Bob James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Bob James and Joe McClain

Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
279
6.17
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
43
1.64
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
1.26
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.53
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.31
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
26
0.57
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
22
0.84
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48
48
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
26.67
26.67
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
76.74
76.74
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.27
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.08
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
73
1.61
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.04
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
172
3.8
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
116
4.42
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.8
3.8
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.42
4.42
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.61
3.61
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.12
4.12
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.86
3.86
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.78
4.78
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.246
0.246
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.269
0.269
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1221
27
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
708
27
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
407
9
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
236
9
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
377
8.34
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
254
9.69
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.34
8.34
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.69
9.69
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
39
0.86
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
30
1.14
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.86
0.86
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.14
1.14
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.14
0.14
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.7
0.7
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
157
3.47
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59
2.25
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
0.53
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.31
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.47
3.47
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.25
2.25
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
340
7.52
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
82
3.13
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.52
7.52
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.13
3.13
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.91
1.91
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.221
1.221
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.598
0.598
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
0.53
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.15
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
0.38
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.23
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.15
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1755
38.81
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1010
38.52
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
194
4.29
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
0.19
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
194
4.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
130
4.96
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.29
4.29
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.96
4.96
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
27
0.6
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.46
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
32
0.71
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.312
1.312
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.326
1.326
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1533
33.9
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
945
36.04
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.7
0.7
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.02
3.02
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.293
0.293
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.269
0.269
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.81
38.81
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.52
38.52

Fielding Stats for Bob James and Joe McClain

Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
8
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
279
6.17
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
43
1.64
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
1.26
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1221
27
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
708
27
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
407
9
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
236
9
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
28
0.62
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
0.61
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
47
1.04
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
29
1.11
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.04
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
88
1.95
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
46
1.75
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
75
1.66
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
1.72
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
85.23
85.23
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.83
97.83
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.269
0.269
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.047
1.047
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
76.74
76.74
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.04
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Bob James and Joe McClain

Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
8
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
279
7971.43
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
43
326.58
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
21
600
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
79
600
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
21
600
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
75
569.62
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.191
0.191
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.381
0.381
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.487
0.487
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
15
113.92
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
11
83.54
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
30.38
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
30.38
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.267
0.267
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.69
19.6
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.92
29.77
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
4
114.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
144.3
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
4
114.29
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
121.52
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.191
0.191
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.208
0.208
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.191
0.191
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.253
0.253
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.381
0.381
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.461
0.461
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.053
0.053
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.133
0.133
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.157
0.157
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.235
0.235
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.667
0.667
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
30.38
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
57.14
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
4
30.38
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
60.76
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0.5
14.28
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.69
28.02
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
7.59
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
15
428.57
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PAverified
16
121.52
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
1.4
1.4
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.94
4.94
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.06
0.06
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
15.19
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
7.59
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe McClain
Career
Per 600 PA