Dave LaRoche vs. River Ryan — Career Comparison

River Ryan built a career as a starting pitcher and Dave LaRoche as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. River Ryan posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.33 and WHIP 1.180 compared to 3.53 and 1.390 for Dave LaRoche. By the career numbers, River Ryan had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.