Bob James vs. Michael Wacha — Career Comparison

Bob James
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueRelief Pitcher
Michael Wacha
MillenialIowaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaKansas City RoyalsAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Michael Wacha 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 led in strikeout rate (K%+ 121 vs 94), home run suppression (HR9+ 113 vs 94), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 110 vs 96). Role difference aside, Bob James holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Bob James and Michael Wacha

Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
8
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
279
6.17
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
309
1.71
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
288
1.59
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
0.53
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
111
0.61
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
26
0.57
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
0.41
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
48
48
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.68
59.68
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.2
93.2
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.01
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.01
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
73
1.61
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
172
3.8
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
703
3.89
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.8
3.8
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.89
3.89
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.61
3.61
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.75
3.75
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.86
3.86
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.81
3.81
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.246
0.246
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.253
0.253
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1221
27
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4882
27
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
407
9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1627.1
9
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
377
8.34
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1571
8.69
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.34
8.34
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.69
8.69
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39
0.86
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
194
1.07
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.86
0.86
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.07
1.07
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.14
0.14
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.63
0.63
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
157
3.47
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
503
2.78
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
0.53
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
0.1
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.47
3.47
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.78
2.78
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
340
7.52
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1416
7.83
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.52
7.52
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.83
7.83
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.58
4.58
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.221
1.221
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.179
1.179
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
24
0.53
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
43
0.24
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.38
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
42
0.23
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.15
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1755
38.81
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6846
37.86
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
194
4.29
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.02
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
194
4.29
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
746
4.13
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.29
4.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.13
4.13
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
27
0.6
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.2
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21
0.46
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
0.25
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
32
0.71
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
136
0.75
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.312
1.312
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.275
1.275
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1533
33.9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6219
34.39
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.7
0.7
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.41
2.41
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.293
0.293
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.299
0.299
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.81
38.81
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.86
37.86

Fielding Stats for Bob James and Michael Wacha

Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
8
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
279
6.17
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
309
1.71
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
288
1.59
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
1221
27
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4882
27
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
407
9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1627.1
9
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
0.62
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
119
0.66
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
47
1.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
170
0.94
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.04
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
88
1.95
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
296
1.64
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
1.66
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
289
1.6
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
85.23
85.23
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.64
97.64
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.269
0.269
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.935
0.935
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.2
93.2
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.08
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Bob James and Michael Wacha

Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
8
8
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
13
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
279
7971.43
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
310
641.38
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
21
600
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
290
600
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
21
600
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
251
519.31
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.191
0.191
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.092
0.092
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.381
0.381
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.319
0.319
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
23
47.59
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
21
43.45
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
4.14
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
4.14
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.087
0.087
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
0.69
19.6
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2.82
5.84
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
25
51.72
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
114.29
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
32
66.21
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.191
0.191
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.123
0.123
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.191
0.191
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.1
0.1
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.381
0.381
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.222
0.222
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.008
0.008
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.133
0.133
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.08
0.08
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.235
0.235
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.152
0.152
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.667
0.667
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.181
0.181
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
33.1
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
57.14
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
16
33.1
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
66.21
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.5
14.28
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
-7.53
-15.58
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
18.62
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
15
428.57
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PAverified
125
258.62
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
1.4
1.4
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.32
2.32
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.07
0.07
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
60
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Bob James
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
3
6.21
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Bob James
Career
Per 600 PA
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100