Unknown Thurston vs. Frank Viola — Career Comparison

Frank Viola built a career as a starting pitcher and Unknown Thurston as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Unknown Thurston posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 1.74 and WHIP 1.161 compared to 3.73 and 1.315 for Frank Viola. By the career numbers, Unknown Thurston had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.