Bill Phyle vs. Billy Wagner — Career Comparison

Bill Phyle built a career as a starting pitcher and Billy Wagner as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Billy Wagner posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.31 and WHIP 1.027 compared to 3.96 and 1.500 for Bill Phyle. By the career numbers, Billy Wagner had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.