David Hess vs. Walt Smallwood — Career Comparison

David Hess built a career as a starting pitcher and Walt Smallwood as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Walt Smallwood posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.56 and WHIP 1.310 compared to 6.25 and 1.545 for David Hess. By the career numbers, Walt Smallwood had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.