Bill James vs. Mark Smith — Career Comparison

Bill James 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. Bill James posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.28 and WHIP 1.233 compared to 6.75 and 2.114 for Mark Smith. By the career numbers, Bill James had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.