Ian Kennedy vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Ian Kennedy 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 72), run prevention (ERA+ 123 vs 91), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 104 vs 87). Ian Kennedy held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 107 vs 89). Role difference aside, Dave Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.