David Cone vs. Matt Smith — Career Comparison

David Cone built a career as a starting pitcher and Matt Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Matt Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.55 and WHIP 1.459 compared to 3.46 and 1.271 for David Cone. By the career numbers, Matt Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.