Willie Burnham vs. Charlie Smith — Career Comparison

Charlie Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Willie Burnham as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Willie Burnham posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 0.429 compared to 2.81 and 1.232 for Charlie Smith. By the career numbers, Willie Burnham had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.