Ben McDonald vs. Ed Murphy — Career Comparison

Ben McDonald built a career as a starting pitcher and Ed Murphy as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ed Murphy posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.64 and WHIP 1.394 compared to 3.91 and 1.271 for Ben McDonald. By the career numbers, Ed Murphy had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.