Tommy de la Cruz vs. Darin Downs — Career Comparison

Tommy de la Cruz built a career as a starting pitcher and Darin Downs as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Tommy de la Cruz posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.25 and WHIP 1.124 compared to 4.76 and 1.401 for Darin Downs. By the career numbers, Tommy de la Cruz had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.