Jeff Russell vs. Merle Settlemire — Career Comparison

Merle Settlemire built a career as a starting pitcher and Jeff Russell as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jeff Russell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.75 and WHIP 1.385 compared to 5.47 and 1.822 for Merle Settlemire. By the career numbers, Jeff Russell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.