Dave Downs vs. Cade Smith — Career Comparison

Dave Downs built a career as a starting pitcher and Cade Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Cade Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.42 and WHIP 0.973 compared to 2.74 and 1.217 for Dave Downs. By the career numbers, Cade Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.