John Axford vs. Lefty Smart — Career Comparison

Lefty Smart built a career as a starting pitcher and John Axford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Lefty Smart posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.78 and WHIP 1.191 compared to 3.9 and 1.455 for John Axford. By the career numbers, Lefty Smart had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.