Jim Bilbrey vs. Art Smith — Career Comparison

Art Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Jim Bilbrey 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 18 and 4.000 for Jim Bilbrey. By the career numbers, Art Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.