Bill Gardner vs. Shawn Hillegas — Career Comparison

Shawn Hillegas built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Gardner as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Shawn Hillegas posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.61 and WHIP 1.504 compared to 11.08 and 2.538 for Bill Gardner. By the career numbers, Shawn Hillegas had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.