Jeff Patterson vs. Mark Prior — Career Comparison

Mark Prior built a career as a starting pitcher and Jeff Patterson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jeff Patterson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.7 and WHIP 1.800 compared to 3.51 and 1.240 for Mark Prior. By the career numbers, Jeff Patterson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.