Mark Mercer vs. Johnny Tillman — Career Comparison

Johnny Tillman built a career as a starting pitcher and Mark Mercer as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Johnny Tillman posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0.9 and WHIP 1.000 compared to 4.7 and 1.826 for Mark Mercer. By the career numbers, Johnny Tillman had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.