Ed Kelly vs. John Smoltz — Career Comparison

John Smoltz built a career as a starting pitcher and Ed Kelly as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ed Kelly posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 0.857 compared to 3.33 and 1.200 for John Smoltz. By the career numbers, Ed Kelly had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.