Willie Blair vs. Bruce Sutter — Career Comparison

Willie Blair
Gen XKentuckyThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Bruce Sutter
Baby BoomersPennsylvaniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherCy Young AwardAll-Star

Willie Blair built a career as a starting pitcher and Bruce Sutter as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bruce Sutter led in run prevention (ERA+ 116 vs 88), strikeout rate (K%+ 105 vs 85), and walk avoidance (BB%+ 136 vs 122). Willie Blair held the edge in home run suppression (HR9+ 83 vs 81). Role difference aside, Bruce Sutter holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Willie Blair and Bruce Sutter

Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
418
2.95
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
661
5.71
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
139
0.98
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
60
0.42
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
68
0.59
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
86
0.61
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
71
0.61
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
41.1
41.1
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48.92
48.92
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33.25
33.25
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
300
2.59
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
713
5.04
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
328
2.83
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.04
5.04
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.83
2.83
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.85
4.85
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.62
2.62
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.61
4.61
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.24
3.24
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.286
0.286
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.23
0.23
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3822
27
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3126
27
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1274
9
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1042
9
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
1438
10.16
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
879
7.59
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.16
10.16
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.59
7.59
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
170
1.2
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.67
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.2
1.2
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.67
0.67
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.41
0.41
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.12
0.12
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
415
2.93
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
309
2.67
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
28
0.2
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
83
0.72
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.93
2.93
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.67
2.67
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
759
5.36
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
861
7.44
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.36
5.36
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.44
7.44
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.82
1.82
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.3
1.3
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.922
0.922
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.123
1.123
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
41
0.29
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
37
0.32
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
36
0.25
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.11
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.07
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5572
39.36
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
4251
36.72
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
75
0.53
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
512
4.42
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
778
5.5
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
370
3.2
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.5
5.5
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.2
3.2
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
0.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
75
0.65
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
46
0.32
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
0.22
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
103
0.73
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
85
0.73
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.455
1.455
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.14
1.14
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5022
35.48
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3829
33.07
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.86
1.86
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.56
0.56
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.31
0.31
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.277
0.277
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39.36
39.36
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.72
36.72

Fielding Stats for Willie Blair and Bruce Sutter

Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
418
2.95
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
661
5.71
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
139
0.98
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3822
27
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3126
27
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1274
9
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1042
9
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.46
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90
0.78
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
140
0.99
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
145
1.25
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.06
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.08
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
214
1.51
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
244
2.11
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
205
1.45
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
235
2.03
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
95.79
95.79
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
96.31
96.31
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.49
0.49
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.356
0.356
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33.25
33.25
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.06
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.08
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Willie Blair and Bruce Sutter

Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
12
12
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
12
12
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
418
1510.84
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
661
3277.69
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
166
600
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
121
600
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
148
534.94
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
102
505.79
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.074
0.074
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.088
0.088
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.265
0.265
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.346
0.346
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
11
39.76
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
9
44.63
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
10
36.14
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
9
44.63
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.61
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.61
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.091
0.091
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
1.36
4.9
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.46
7.22
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
12
43.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
9
44.63
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
17
61.45
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
17
84.3
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
0.11
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.153
0.153
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.081
0.081
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.088
0.088
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.241
0.241
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.007
0.007
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.091
0.091
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.131
0.131
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.192
0.192
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.186
0.186
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.17
0.17
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
6
21.69
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
6
29.75
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
5
18.07
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
29.75
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
11
39.76
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
59.5
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
-5.85
-21.15
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
-1.85
-9.17
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
6
21.69
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
34.71
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
89
321.69
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50
247.93
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
1.87
1.87
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.42
2.42
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.14
0.14
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
12
43.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
10
49.59
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Willie Blair
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.96
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Willie Blair
Career
Per 600 PA
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100