Joba vs. Hughes: Who is a Better Reliever?

As we come to the end of the year, I think it's finally time to look back at the set-up terms of Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes to see who performed better:

Joba Chamberlain: 3-2, 1 save, 1.53 ERA, 49 games, 59 innings, 39 hits (11 XBH), 2 HR, 20 BB, 78 K, 1.000 WHIP, 11.9 K/9, 3.90 SO/BB, .185/.259/.261 slashes against

Phil Hughes: 5-1, 3 saves, 1.24 ERA, 42 games, 50.2 innings, 28 hits (4 XBH), 2 HR, 13 BB, 64 K, 0.809 WHIP, 11.4 K/9, 4.92 SO/BB, .160/.218/.211 slashes against

I know it's a small sample size, but I think that Phil Hughes has been an even better reliever than Joba (as amazing as that is for some people to believe). And if you take their ALDS performance in 2007 when both pitched out of the bullpen, Hughes climbs even more.

More on Joba:

• Jack Curry compares the Joba Rules to Justin [Verlander] Rules. The big difference? Verlander was 26 and already had built up the innings. Joba is 24 and is still building up arm strength.
• Rob Neyer writes that Joba sealed his ALDS fate with last night's start. Though I have to disagree with Rob that Joba shouldn't pitch in the series. Can he not be a help for the bullpen with the numbers he's put up in the past two years working out of there?
• Before Joba's start against the Red Sox, Sweeny Murti asked if the Yankees had ruined Joba. I agree with Sweeny when he says that Joba's 24; let's see what happens with him. Look at Zack Grienke's career path before you declare Joba "ruined".
  
• After watching him pitch well against the Red Sox, Sam Borden wrote that Joba responded to a stern approach. I believe this is how the Yankees should have treated Joba all along. The Yanks got into trouble handing spots to Joba, Hughes and Ian Kennedy last season. They need to be a little less nuturing and a little more firm.
• Within this piece, Peter Gammons says that Joba is important to the Yankees run in the postseason because he could make two Game 4 starts.
  

More on Hughes:

• Bob Klapisch tells you how Phil Hughes has become the 8th inning wonder: Mariano Rivera's cutter. This can only help Hughes as he transitions back to starter next season as Hughes' biggest problem seemed to be the lack of a third pitch.
  
• IIATMS breaks down "The Amazing Phil Hughes" even further. I have to admit that some of that goes way over my head, but it's really interesting the amount of statistical analysis there is out there.
• New York Magazine does a Yankee playoff preview of Phil Hughes and correctly points out he's the last man to win a playoff game for the Yankees (image from that article). There is one place I have to argue with NYMag about: "If a closer is critical to postseason success, then it stands to reason that the man responsible for getting him the ball is pretty important, too." Yes, that man is called your STARTING PITCHER!
  

I know this will drive certain people wild (I can think of a certain WFAN radio host...), but Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will most probably both be starters next season. Let's just hope that Hughes can carry over the success of his relief stint better than Joba has recently. They're both really young and their success as dominant relievers should excite you for their future as (hopefully) dominant starters.