Phil Hughes vs. Bill Murphy — Career Comparison

Phil Hughes built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Murphy as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bill Murphy posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.08 and WHIP 1.698 compared to 4.52 and 1.324 for Phil Hughes. By the career numbers, Bill Murphy had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.