John McMakin vs. Jim Merritt — Career Comparison

Jim Merritt built a career as a starting pitcher and John McMakin as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John McMakin posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.09 and WHIP 1.406 compared to 3.65 and 1.237 for Jim Merritt. By the career numbers, John McMakin had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.