Sparky Lyle vs. Billy Wagner — Career Comparison

Sparky Lyle
Silent GenerationPennsylvaniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaNew York YankeesAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherCy Young AwardAll-Star
Billy Wagner
Gen XVirginiaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaHouston AstrosAmerican LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

The numbers give Billy Wagner a clear advantage over Sparky Lyle across the core pitching metrics. Billy Wagner led in run prevention (ERA+ 183 vs 95), strikeout rate (K%+ 162 vs 77), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 142 vs 96). Billy Wagner was the better reliever — the numbers make that case clearly.

Pitching Stats for Sparky Lyle and Billy Wagner

Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
899
5.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
853
8.5
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
99
0.64
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.47
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
76
0.49
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
40
0.4
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
56.57
56.57
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
54.02
54.02
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
238
1.54
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
422
4.21
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
445
2.88
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
232
2.31
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.88
2.88
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.31
2.31
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.19
3.19
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.14
2.14
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.6
3.6
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.64
2.64
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.25
0.25
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.187
0.187
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4171
27
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
2709
27
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1390.1
9
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
903
9
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
1292
8.36
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
601
5.99
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.36
8.36
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.99
5.99
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
84
0.54
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
82
0.82
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.54
0.54
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.82
0.82
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.1
0.1
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
481
3.11
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
300
2.99
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
81
0.52
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
26
0.26
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.11
3.11
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.99
2.99
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
873
5.65
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1196
11.92
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.65
5.65
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11.92
11.92
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.97
0.97
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.4
1.4
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.974
0.974
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.657
1.657
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
66
0.43
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
43
0.43
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.09
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
33
0.33
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.06
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.01
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5794
37.51
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
3600
35.88
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
634
4.1
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
703
7.01
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
519
3.36
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
262
2.61
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.36
3.36
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.61
2.61
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
83
0.54
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
0.33
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.3
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.14
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
94
0.61
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
51
0.51
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.275
1.275
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.998
0.998
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5169
33.46
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
3220
32.09
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.58
0.58
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.31
0.31
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.287
0.287
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.267
0.267
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.51
37.51
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
35.88
35.88

Fielding Stats for Sparky Lyle and Billy Wagner

Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
899
5.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
853
8.5
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4170
27
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
2709
27
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1390
9
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
903
9
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
54
0.35
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
33
0.33
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
198
1.28
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
86
0.86
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.14
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.05
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
273
1.77
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
124
1.24
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
252
1.63
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
119
1.19
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
92.31
92.31
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
95.97
95.97
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.28
0.28
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.14
0.14
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
0.08
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.02
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Sparky Lyle and Billy Wagner

Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
16
16
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
16
16
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
899
6129.55
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PAverified
854
24400
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
88
600
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
21
600
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
78
531.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PAverified
20
571.43
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.192
0.192
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.1
0.1
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.515
0.515
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.262
0.262
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
102.27
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
88.64
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
13.64
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
13.64
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.133
0.133
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.41
30.07
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.28
8.07
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
17
115.91
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
20
136.36
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
3
85.71
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.241
0.241
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.143
0.143
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.218
0.218
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.1
0.1
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.459
0.459
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.243
0.243
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.026
0.026
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.163
0.163
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.089
0.089
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.365
0.365
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.289
0.289
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
8
54.55
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
1
28.57
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
4
27.27
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
28.57
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
81.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
2
57.14
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.58
31.22
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
-0.45
-12.78
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
34.09
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
1
28.57
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PAverified
26
177.27
Billy Wagner
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
12
342.86
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.38
3.38
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
1.75
1.75
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.19
0.19
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0.08
0.08
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
34.09
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
6.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
6.82
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Sparky Lyle
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Billy Wagner
Career
Per 600 PA