Blaine Beatty vs. John Smiley — Career Comparison

John Smiley built a career as a starting pitcher and Blaine Beatty as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Blaine Beatty posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.3 and WHIP 1.340 compared to 3.8 and 1.242 for John Smiley. By the career numbers, Blaine Beatty had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.