James Pope vs. Freddy Schmidt — Career Comparison

James Pope built a career as a starting pitcher and Freddy Schmidt as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Freddy Schmidt posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.75 and WHIP 1.456 compared to 3.86 and 1.405 for James Pope. By the career numbers, Freddy Schmidt had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.