Tim Wakefield vs. Wild Bill Widner — Career Comparison

Tim Wakefield built a career as a starting pitcher and Wild Bill Widner as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Wild Bill Widner posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.36 and WHIP 1.423 compared to 4.41 and 1.361 for Tim Wakefield. By the career numbers, Wild Bill Widner had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.