Dale Thayer vs. Frank Viola — Career Comparison

Frank Viola built a career as a starting pitcher and Dale Thayer as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dale Thayer led in run prevention (ERA+ 117 vs 94), walk avoidance (BB%+ 132 vs 113), and home run suppression (HR9+ 91 vs 73). Frank Viola held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 114 vs 95). Role difference aside, Dale Thayer holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.