Phil Hughes vs. Willie Martinez — Career Comparison

Phil Hughes built a career as a starting pitcher and Willie Martinez as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Willie Martinez posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3 and WHIP 0.667 compared to 4.52 and 1.324 for Phil Hughes. By the career numbers, Willie Martinez had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.