Bruce Ruffin vs. John Thornton — Career Comparison

Bruce Ruffin 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. John Thornton posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.1 and WHIP 1.486 compared to 4.19 and 1.546 for Bruce Ruffin. By the career numbers, John Thornton had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.