Henry Mathewson vs. David Phelps — Career Comparison

Henry Mathewson built a career as a starting pitcher and David Phelps as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. David Phelps posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.8 and WHIP 1.337 compared to 4.91 and 2.000 for Henry Mathewson. By the career numbers, David Phelps had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.