Bill Popp vs. John Russell — Career Comparison

John Russell built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Popp as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Popp posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.92 and WHIP 1.873 compared to 5.4 and 1.656 for John Russell. By the career numbers, Bill Popp had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.