James Atkins vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

James Atkins built a career as a starting pitcher and Dave Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dave Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.67 and WHIP 1.294 compared to 3.6 and 1.733 for James Atkins. By the career numbers, Dave Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.