Nate Johnson vs. Richard Lovelady — Career Comparison

Nate Johnson built a career as a starting pitcher and Richard Lovelady as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Richard Lovelady posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.35 and WHIP 1.387 compared to 6.75 and 1.904 for Nate Johnson. By the career numbers, Richard Lovelady had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.