Rube Waddell vs. Bill Wilkinson — Career Comparison

Rube Waddell built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Wilkinson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rube Waddell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.16 and WHIP 1.102 compared to 4.13 and 1.244 for Bill Wilkinson. By the career numbers, Rube Waddell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.