Russ Bauers vs. Brian Smith — Career Comparison

Russ Bauers built a career as a starting pitcher and Brian Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Russ Bauers posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.53 and WHIP 1.391 compared to 10.38 and 1.846 for Brian Smith. By the career numbers, Russ Bauers had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.