Rube Benton vs. Lee Smith — Career Comparison

Rube Benton
Lost GenerationNorth CarolinaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaCincinnati RedsNational LeagueStarting Pitcher
Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

Rube Benton built a career as a starting pitcher and Lee Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Lee Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.03 and WHIP 1.333 compared to 3.09 and 1.265 for Rube Benton. By the career numbers, Lee Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Rube Benton and Lee Smith

Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
437
1.56
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
305
1.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
0.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
144
0.51
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
51.02
51.02
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
69.79
69.79
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
145
0.52
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.08
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
863
3.09
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.09
3.09
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.16
3.16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.48
3.48
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.254
0.254
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.237
0.237
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7552
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2517.1
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
2472
8.84
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1133
7.91
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.84
8.84
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.91
7.91
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52
0.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
89
0.62
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.19
0.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.62
0.62
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.12
0.12
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
712
2.55
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.55
2.55
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
950
3.4
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.4
3.4
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.17
2.17
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.66
0.66
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
0.24
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
95
0.34
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.02
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10539
37.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5388
37.61
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
83
0.3
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1115
3.99
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.54
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.265
1.265
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.256
1.256
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9732
34.79
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4791
33.44
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.55
2.55
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.277
0.277
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.68
37.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.61
37.61

Fielding Stats for Rube Benton and Lee Smith

Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
437
103.5
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1022
7.13
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.47
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
114
27
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
9
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
17.76
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
0.36
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
680
161.05
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
29
6.87
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
784
185.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
755
178.82
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.3
96.3
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.728
1.728
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.46
0.46
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.59
0.59
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
23
5.45
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Rube Benton and Lee Smith

Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
15
15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
437
295.6
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
887
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
825
558.06
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
64
540.85
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.172
0.172
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.441
0.441
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
142
96.05
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
118
79.82
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
12.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.71
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
1
0.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
24
16.23
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.45
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.169
0.169
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.001
0.001
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.007
0.007
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
34.38
23.26
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
172
116.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
166
112.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.196
0.196
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.209
0.209
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.404
0.404
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0.036
0.036
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.14
0.14
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.292
0.292
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.222
0.222
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
45
30.44
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
60
40.59
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
104
70.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
28.23
19.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
22
14.88
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.35
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PAverified
188
127.17
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.72
4.72
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.12
0.12
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
38
25.7
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
33.8
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.71
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
3.38
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rube Benton
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
80
80
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA