John Sowders vs. Elmer Steele — Career Comparison

Elmer Steele built a career as a starting pitcher and John Sowders as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Elmer Steele posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.41 and WHIP 1.041 compared to 4.29 and 1.698 for John Sowders. By the career numbers, Elmer Steele had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.