Hiroki Kuroda vs. Jim Umbricht — Career Comparison

Hiroki Kuroda built a career as a starting pitcher and Jim Umbricht as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jim Umbricht posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.06 and WHIP 1.191 compared to 3.45 and 1.196 for Hiroki Kuroda. By the career numbers, Jim Umbricht had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.