Al McBean vs. Cotton Pippen — Career Comparison

Cotton Pippen built a career as a starting pitcher and Al McBean as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Al McBean posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.13 and WHIP 1.379 compared to 6.38 and 1.811 for Cotton Pippen. By the career numbers, Al McBean had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.