Clay Christiansen vs. Mike Smith — Career Comparison

Mike Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Clay Christiansen as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Clay Christiansen posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 6.05 and WHIP 1.603 compared to 7.04 and 1.852 for Mike Smith. By the career numbers, Clay Christiansen had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.