John Ely vs. Rex Smith — Career Comparison

John Ely built a career as a starting pitcher and Rex Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rex Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.5 and WHIP 2.111 compared to 5.7 and 1.552 for John Ely. By the career numbers, Rex Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.