Claude Osteen vs. John Thornton — Career Comparison

Claude Osteen
Silent GenerationTennesseeThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaLos Angeles DodgersNational LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
John Thornton
Pre-GenerationalDistrict of ColumbiaThrows RightBats LeftNorth AmericaPhiladelphia PhilliesNational LeagueRelief Pitcher

Claude Osteen built a career as a starting pitcher and John Thornton as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Claude Osteen posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.3 and WHIP 1.302 compared to 4.1 and 1.486 for John Thornton. By the career numbers, Claude Osteen had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Claude Osteen and John Thornton

Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
541
1.41
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
41
1.27
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
488
1.27
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
35
1.09
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
196
0.51
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.47
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
195
0.51
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
19
0.59
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50.13
50.13
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
44.12
44.12
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90.2
90.2
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
85.37
85.37
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
140
0.36
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
0.78
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40
0.1
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.06
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1268
3.3
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
132
4.1
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.3
3.3
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.1
4.1
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.44
3.44
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.83
3.83
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.86
3.86
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.33
4.33
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.26
0.26
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.252
0.252
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10381
27
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
870
27
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3460.1
9
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
290
9
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3471
9.03
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
292
9.06
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.03
9.03
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.06
9.06
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
249
0.65
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.12
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.65
0.65
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.46
0.46
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.1
0.1
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
940
2.44
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
139
4.31
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
93
0.24
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.44
2.44
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.31
4.31
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1612
4.19
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
57
1.77
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.19
4.19
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.77
1.77
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.98
2.98
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.39
1.39
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.738
0.738
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.676
0.676
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
67
0.17
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10
0.31
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
0.12
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10
0.31
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.02
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.06
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
14433
37.54
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1308
40.59
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
24
0.06
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.19
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1435
3.73
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
191
5.93
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.73
3.73
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.93
5.93
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
69
0.18
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
27
0.07
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
80
0.21
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.275
1.275
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.486
1.486
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13352
34.73
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1159
35.97
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.65
2.65
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.66
4.66
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.28
0.28
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.262
0.262
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.54
37.54
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40.59
40.59

Fielding Stats for Claude Osteen and John Thornton

Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
542
1.41
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
1.39
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
488
1.27
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10386
27
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
915
27
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3462
9
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
305
9
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
159
0.41
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.91
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
699
1.82
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
1.95
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
26
0.07
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
0.44
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
884
2.3
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
112
3.3
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
858
2.23
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
97
2.86
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.06
97.06
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
86.61
86.61
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.583
1.583
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.064
2.064
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90.04
90.04
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
37
0.1
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.12
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
John Thornton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Claude Osteen and John Thornton

Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
3
3
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
588
289.18
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
46
190.34
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1220
600
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
145
600
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1099
540.49
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PAverified
143
591.72
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.188
0.188
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.154
0.154
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.512
0.512
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.351
0.351
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
207
101.8
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
22
91.03
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
162
79.67
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
19
78.62
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
31
15.25
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
3
12.41
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
2.95
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
3.93
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
45
22.13
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
3
12.41
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.217
0.217
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.136
0.136
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.007
0.007
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.039
0.039
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
59.59
29.31
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
4.14
17.11
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
274
134.75
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
25
103.45
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
250
122.95
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
24
99.31
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.217
0.217
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.166
0.166
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.249
0.249
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.175
0.175
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.467
0.467
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.34
0.34
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.061
0.061
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.021
0.021
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.16
0.16
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.118
0.118
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.35
0.35
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.231
0.231
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.246
0.246
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.169
0.169
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
90
44.26
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
8
33.1
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
76
37.38
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
9
37.24
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
158
77.7
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
17
70.34
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
53.69
26.41
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
1.87
7.75
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
1.48
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
40
19.67
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
2
8.28
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
291
143.11
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
53.79
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
4.19
4.19
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11.15
11.15
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
0.14
0.14
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.15
0.15
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
69
33.93
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
4.43
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
18
8.85
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
0.98
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.14
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.49
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Claude Osteen
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
3
1.48
John Thornton
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.14
Claude Osteen
Career
Per 600 PA
66.67
66.67
John Thornton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100