Willie Hernandez vs. Spike Merena — Career Comparison

Willie Hernandez
Baby BoomersP.R.Throws LeftBats LeftCaribbeanDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherCy Young AwardMVPAll-Star
Spike Merena
Greatest GenerationNew JerseyThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaBoston Red SoxAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher

Spike Merena built a career as a starting pitcher and Willie Hernandez as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Spike Merena posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.92 and WHIP 1.459 compared to 3.38 and 1.321 for Willie Hernandez. By the career numbers, Spike Merena had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Willie Hernandez and Spike Merena

Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
744
6.41
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
1.46
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
0.09
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
1.09
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
0.6
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.36
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
63
0.54
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.73
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52.63
52.63
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
33.33
33.33
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.48
1.48
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
75
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.73
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.36
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
147
1.27
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
392
3.38
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
2.92
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.38
3.38
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.92
2.92
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.27
3.27
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.03
4.03
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.77
3.77
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.55
5.55
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.245
0.245
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.22
0.22
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3134
27
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
74
27
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1044.2
9
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
24.2
9
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
952
8.2
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
20
7.3
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.2
8.2
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.3
7.3
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
97
0.84
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.73
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.84
0.84
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.73
0.73
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.13
0.13
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.5
0.5
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
349
3.01
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
5.84
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
79
0.68
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.84
5.84
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
788
6.79
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
2.55
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.79
6.79
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.55
2.55
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.06
1.06
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.75
1.75
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.088
1.088
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.932
0.932
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.32
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.36
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
0.22
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.36
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.09
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4366
37.61
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
108
39.41
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
419
3.61
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
431
3.71
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
2.92
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.71
3.71
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.92
2.92
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.56
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
36
0.31
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72
0.62
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.245
1.245
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.46
1.46
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3891
33.52
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
91
33.2
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.58
0.58
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.284
0.284
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.22
0.22
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.61
37.61
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39.41
39.41

Fielding Stats for Willie Hernandez and Spike Merena

Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
744
6.41
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.09
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3134
27
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1044.2
9
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
58
0.5
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
169
1.46
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
231
1.99
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
227
1.96
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
98.27
98.27
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
100
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.305
0.305
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
0.5
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.48
1.48
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
0.1
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Willie Hernandez and Spike Merena

Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
13
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
747
6402.86
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
4
240
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
70
600
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
10
600
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
63
540
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
7
420
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.206
0.206
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0.531
0.531
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.55
0.55
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
111.43
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
94.29
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
17.14
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
17.14
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.154
0.154
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.49
29.92
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.28
17
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
128.57
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
14
120
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
2
120
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0.219
0.219
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.238
0.238
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.457
0.457
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.393
0.393
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.032
0.032
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.158
0.158
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.36
0.36
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.333
0.333
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.382
0.382
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
4
34.29
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.71
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
7
60
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.5
30.01
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0.38
23.06
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.57
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
29
248.57
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
60
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
2.41
2.41
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
10
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0.03
0.03
Spike Merena
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
6
51.43
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
120
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
17.14
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
17.14
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Willie Hernandez
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Spike Merena
Career
Per 600 PA