Thornton Lee vs. Will Smith — Career Comparison

Thornton Lee
Greatest GenerationCaliforniaThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaChicago White SoxAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
Will Smith
MillenialGeorgiaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaMilwaukee BrewersNational LeagueRelief PitcherAll-Star

Thornton Lee built a career as a starting pitcher and Will Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Thornton Lee posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.56 and WHIP 1.358 compared to 3.85 and 1.278 for Will Smith. By the career numbers, Thornton Lee had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Thornton Lee and Will Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
16
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
374
1.44
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
618
8.53
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
272
1.05
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
0.23
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
117
0.45
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
33
0.46
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
124
0.48
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
45
0.62
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48.55
48.55
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
42.31
42.31
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.73
72.73
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.75
2.75
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
155
0.6
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.05
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.04
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
114
1.57
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
921
3.56
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
279
3.85
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.56
3.56
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.85
3.85
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.64
3.64
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.49
3.49
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.55
3.55
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.255
0.255
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.233
0.233
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6994
27
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1957
27
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2331.1
9
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
652.1
9
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
2327
8.98
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
570
7.86
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.98
8.98
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.86
7.86
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
121
0.47
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
84
1.16
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.47
0.47
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.16
1.16
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.32
0.32
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.14
0.14
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
838
3.24
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
238
3.28
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
26
0.36
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.24
3.24
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.28
3.28
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
937
3.62
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
748
10.32
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.62
3.62
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10.32
10.32
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.51
2.51
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.21
1.21
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.761
0.761
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.512
1.512
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.09
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
30
0.41
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
43
0.17
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
17
0.23
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.03
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3
0.04
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9999
38.6
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2729
37.65
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
50
0.19
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
237
3.27
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1105
4.27
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
313
4.32
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.27
4.27
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.32
4.32
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.12
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.3
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
49
0.68
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.358
1.358
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.239
1.239
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9118
35.2
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2443
33.71
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.95
2.95
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.51
0.51
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.274
0.274
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.302
0.302
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.6
38.6
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.65
37.65

Fielding Stats for Thornton Lee and Will Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
374
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
618
8.53
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
0.23
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1957
27
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
652.1
9
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
67
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.19
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
428
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
52
0.72
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
38
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
0.1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
533
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
73
1.01
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
495
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
66
0.91
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
92.87
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
90.41
90.41
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.324
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.107
0.107
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.75
2.75
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.06
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Thornton Lee and Will Smith

Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
16
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
12
12
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
375
254.24
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
618
185400
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
885
600
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
600
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
835
566.1
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
300
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.2
0.2
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.499
0.499
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.5
1.5
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
167
113.22
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
135
91.53
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
24
16.27
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.71
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
2.71
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
21.69
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.192
0.192
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.005
0.005
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.024
0.024
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
43.79
29.69
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
211
143.05
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
195
132.2
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.226
0.226
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.253
0.253
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.479
0.479
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.053
0.053
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.165
0.165
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.7
0.7
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.346
0.346
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0.262
0.262
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
63
42.71
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
66
44.75
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
600
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
125
84.75
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
600
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
40.01
27.13
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
0.69
208.39
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.68
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
18.31
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
208
141.02
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.25
4.25
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.13
0.13
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Thornton Lee
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
22
14.92
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
300
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
23
15.59
Will Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Thornton Lee
Career
Per 600 PA
Will Smith
Career
Per 600 PA