Luis Ayala vs. Tim Wakefield — Career Comparison

Tim Wakefield built a career as a starting pitcher and Luis Ayala as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Luis Ayala led in walk avoidance (BB%+ 140 vs 92), run prevention (ERA+ 126 vs 90), and home run suppression (HR9+ 100 vs 78). Tim Wakefield held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 87 vs 81). Role difference aside, Luis Ayala holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.