Jim Abbott vs. Willie Mills — Career Comparison

Jim Abbott built a career as a starting pitcher and Willie Mills as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Willie Mills posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 8.44 and WHIP 1.563 compared to 20.25 and 3.750 for Jim Abbott. By the career numbers, Willie Mills had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.