Bret Saberhagen vs. Justin Shafer — Career Comparison

Bret Saberhagen built a career as a starting pitcher and Justin Shafer as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bret Saberhagen posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.34 and WHIP 1.154 compared to 4.7 and 1.770 for Justin Shafer. By the career numbers, Bret Saberhagen had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.