John Lackey vs. Bill Wilkinson — Career Comparison

John Lackey built a career as a starting pitcher and Bill Wilkinson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Lackey posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.92 and WHIP 1.306 compared to 4.13 and 1.244 for Bill Wilkinson. By the career numbers, John Lackey had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.