Ben Shields vs. Roy Witherup — Career Comparison

Roy Witherup built a career as a starting pitcher and Ben Shields as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Roy Witherup posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.44 and WHIP 1.454 compared to 8.27 and 1.984 for Ben Shields. By the career numbers, Roy Witherup had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.