David Cone vs. Billy Smith — Career Comparison

David Cone built a career as a starting pitcher and Billy Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Billy Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.05 and WHIP 1.161 compared to 3.46 and 1.271 for David Cone. By the career numbers, Billy Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.