Mark Melancon vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Fernando Valenzuela built a career as a starting pitcher and Mark Melancon as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Mark Melancon led in home run suppression (HR9+ 154 vs 110), walk avoidance (BB%+ 117 vs 80), and run prevention (ERA+ 119 vs 95). Role difference aside, Mark Melancon holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.