Steve Bechler vs. Fred Smith — Career Comparison

Fred Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Steve Bechler as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Fred Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.85 and WHIP 1.336 compared to 13.5 and 2.143 for Steve Bechler. By the career numbers, Fred Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.