Russ Ortiz vs. Cliff Young — Career Comparison

Russ Ortiz built a career as a starting pitcher and Cliff Young as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Cliff Young posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.25 and WHIP 1.514 compared to 4.51 and 1.514 for Russ Ortiz. By the career numbers, Cliff Young had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.