Kid Nichols vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Fernando Valenzuela built a career as a starting pitcher and Kid Nichols as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Kid Nichols posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.96 and WHIP 1.224 compared to 3.54 and 1.343 for Fernando Valenzuela. By the career numbers, Kid Nichols had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.