Dick Bates vs. Art Smith — Career Comparison

Art Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Dick Bates as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Art Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 11.57 and WHIP 3.000 compared to 27 and 3.600 for Dick Bates. By the career numbers, Art Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.