Darin Downs vs. Bill Phebus — Career Comparison

Bill Phebus 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. Bill Phebus posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.31 and WHIP 1.491 compared to 4.76 and 1.401 for Darin Downs. By the career numbers, Bill Phebus had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.