Thornton Lee vs. Fred Smith — Career Comparison

Thornton Lee
Greatest GenerationCaliforniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
Fred Smith
Pre-GenerationalMarylandThrows RightBats LeftNorth AmericaToledo MaumeesAmerican AssociationRelief Pitcher

Thornton Lee built a career as a starting pitcher and Fred Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Fred Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.27 and WHIP 1.269 compared to 3.56 and 1.358 for Thornton Lee. By the career numbers, Fred Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Thornton Lee and Fred Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
374
1.44
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
35
1.1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
272
1.05
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
34
1.07
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
117
0.45
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.6
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
124
0.48
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.41
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
48.55
48.55
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.38
59.38
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
72.73
72.73
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.14
97.14
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
155
0.6
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.98
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
14
0.05
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.06
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.04
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
921
3.56
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
104
3.27
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.56
3.56
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.27
3.27
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.64
3.64
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.86
3.86
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.255
0.255
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.244
0.244
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6994
27
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
858
27
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2331.1
9
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
286
9
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
2327
8.98
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
273
8.59
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.98
8.98
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.59
8.59
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
121
0.47
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.41
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.47
0.47
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.41
0.41
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.32
0.32
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.37
0.37
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
838
3.24
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90
2.83
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.24
3.24
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.83
2.83
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
937
3.62
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
116
3.65
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.62
3.62
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.65
3.65
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.51
2.51
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.31
3.31
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.761
0.761
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.09
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10
0.31
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
43
0.17
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
0.41
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.03
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9999
38.6
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1223
38.49
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
0.19
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1105
4.27
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
155
4.88
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.27
4.27
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.88
4.88
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.358
1.358
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.269
1.269
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
9118
35.2
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1120
35.24
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.95
2.95
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.43
4.43
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.274
0.274
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.262
0.262
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.6
38.6
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.49
38.49

Fielding Stats for Thornton Lee and Fred Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
374
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
38
1.07
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
960
27
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
320
9
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
67
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.53
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
428
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
1.97
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
38
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.17
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
533
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
95
2.67
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
495
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
2.5
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
92.87
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.68
93.68
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.324
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.342
2.342
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.03
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Thornton Lee and Fred Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
16
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
375
254.24
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
38
168.89
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
885
600
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
135
600
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
835
566.1
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
126
560
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.499
0.499
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.502
0.502
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
167
113.22
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
21
93.33
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
135
91.53
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
13
57.78
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
24
16.27
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
7
31.11
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
4
2.71
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.44
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.71
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
32
21.69
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
35.56
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.381
0.381
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.005
0.005
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.024
0.024
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
43.79
29.69
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
7.86
34.94
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
211
143.05
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
30
133.33
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
195
132.2
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
30
133.33
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.226
0.226
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.222
0.222
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.253
0.253
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.238
0.238
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.479
0.479
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.46
0.46
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.053
0.053
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.071
0.071
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.165
0.165
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.16
0.16
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.346
0.346
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.41
0.41
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.262
0.262
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
63
42.71
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
11
48.89
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
66
44.75
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
10
44.44
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
125
84.75
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
21
93.33
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
40.01
27.13
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
6.9
30.64
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
1
0.68
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.44
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
27
18.31
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
35.56
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
208
141.02
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.25
4.25
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.13
0.13
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22
14.92
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
23
15.59
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
17.78
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
17.78
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100