Phil Hughes vs. Les Willis — Career Comparison

Phil Hughes built a career as a starting pitcher and Les Willis as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Les Willis posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.48 and WHIP 1.864 compared to 4.52 and 1.324 for Phil Hughes. By the career numbers, Les Willis had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.