John McCarty vs. Bob Shirley — Career Comparison

Bob Shirley built a career as a starting pitcher and John McCarty as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bob Shirley posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.82 and WHIP 1.429 compared to 3.91 and 1.738 for John McCarty. By the career numbers, Bob Shirley had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.