I don't understand why WHIP is one of the key stats used to compare across eras. Grove, Johnson, Spahn pitched in eras where nobody cared about stats. Baserunners didn't mean much unless they crossed the plate. And pitchers were expected to finish games, or at least attempt to. Is it really fair to compare an old-timer who needed to be ready for 9 innings to Kershaw, who at best would give 7? At the end of 9 innings, Grove let 1.5 more baserunners on than Koufax, pitching in a hitters' era.
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