John Axford vs. Bill Long — Career Comparison

Bill Long 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. Bill Long led in walk avoidance (BB%+ 176 vs 81), run prevention (ERA+ 101 vs 89), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 100 vs 93). John Axford held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 110 vs 71). Role difference aside, Bill Long holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.