Steve Blass vs. Lee Smith — Career Comparison

Steve Blass
Silent GenerationConnecticutThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaPittsburgh PiratesNational LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

Steve Blass 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 led in strikeout rate (K%+ 128 vs 87), home run suppression (HR9+ 131 vs 101), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 112 vs 93). Role difference aside, Lee Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Steve Blass and Lee Smith

Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
282
1.59
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
231
1.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
103
0.58
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
76
0.43
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57.54
57.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
81.91
81.91
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57
0.32
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.01
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
644
3.63
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.63
3.63
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.78
3.78
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.11
4.11
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.256
0.256
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.237
0.237
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4792
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1597.1
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
1558
8.78
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1133
7.91
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.78
8.78
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.91
7.91
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
128
0.72
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.62
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.62
0.62
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.45
0.45
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
597
3.36
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
49
0.28
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.36
3.36
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
896
5.05
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.05
5.05
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.18
3.18
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.935
0.935
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
0.32
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.21
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.02
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6780
38.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5388
37.61
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
0.08
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
739
4.16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.16
4.16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
34
0.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.11
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.03
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.54
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.349
1.349
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.256
1.256
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6092
34.32
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4791
33.44
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.62
2.62
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.282
0.282
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.2
38.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.61
37.61

Fielding Stats for Steve Blass and Lee Smith

Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
283
1.59
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
231
1.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4795
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1598.1
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
137
0.77
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
0.36
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
251
1.41
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
0.09
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
404
2.27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
388
2.18
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.04
96.04
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.371
1.371
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
81.63
81.63
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.11
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Steve Blass and Lee Smith

Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
295
295
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
600
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
546
546
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
64
540.85
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.172
0.172
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.439
0.439
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
94
94
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
83
83
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
7
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
11
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.45
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0.117
0.117
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0.002
0.002
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0.011
0.011
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19.54
19.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
110
110
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
105
105
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.188
0.188
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.202
0.202
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.389
0.389
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0.029
0.029
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.135
0.135
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.264
0.264
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.228
0.228
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
42
42
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
37
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
78
78
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14.93
14.93
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
11
11
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.35
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PAverified
140
140
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.29
4.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.08
0.08
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
40
40
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
4
33.8
Steve Blass
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
6
6
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Steve Blass
Career
Per 600 PA
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA