Jon Lieber vs. Rich Thompson — Career Comparison

Jon Lieber built a career as a starting pitcher and Rich Thompson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rich Thompson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.21 and WHIP 1.357 compared to 4.27 and 1.302 for Jon Lieber. By the career numbers, Rich Thompson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.