John Axford vs. Sunny Jim Hamilton — Career Comparison

Sunny Jim Hamilton built a career as a starting pitcher and John Axford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Sunny Jim Hamilton posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.09 and WHIP 1.114 compared to 3.9 and 1.455 for John Axford. By the career numbers, Sunny Jim Hamilton had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.