Ken Holtzman vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Ken Holtzman built a career as a starting pitcher and Dave Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dave Smith led in home run suppression (HR9+ 198 vs 79), run prevention (ERA+ 123 vs 96), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 104 vs 91). Ken Holtzman held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 107 vs 100). Role difference aside, Dave Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.