Al Downing vs. Mike Willis — Career Comparison

Al Downing built a career as a starting pitcher and Mike Willis as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Al Downing led in home run suppression (HR9+ 108 vs 61), run prevention (ERA+ 112 vs 81), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 98 vs 84). Mike Willis held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 100 vs 91). Role difference aside, Al Downing holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.