Joe Decker vs. Mark Smith — Career Comparison

Joe Decker built a career as a starting pitcher and Mark Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Joe Decker posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.17 and WHIP 1.531 compared to 6.75 and 2.114 for Mark Smith. By the career numbers, Joe Decker had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.