Alex Main vs. Lee Smith — Career Comparison

Alex Main
Lost GenerationMichiganThrows RightBats LeftNorth AmericaKansas City PackersFederal LeagueStarting Pitcher
Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

Alex Main built a career as a starting pitcher and Lee Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Alex Main posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.77 and WHIP 1.220 compared to 3.03 and 1.333 for Lee Smith. By the career numbers, Alex Main had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Alex Main and Lee Smith

Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
3
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
75
1.67
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
44
0.98
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
21
0.47
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
71
0.5
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22
0.49
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48.84
48.84
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
58.67
58.67
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
124
2.77
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
434
3.03
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.77
2.77
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.03
3.03
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.84
2.84
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.04
3.04
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.64
3.64
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.234
0.234
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.237
0.237
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
1210
27
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
403.1
9
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
342
7.63
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1133
7.91
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.63
7.63
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.91
7.91
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7
0.16
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
89
0.62
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.16
0.16
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.62
0.62
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.09
0.09
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
3.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.35
3.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
160
3.57
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.57
3.57
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.13
2.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.769
0.769
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.29
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
1626
36.28
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5388
37.61
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.33
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
159
3.55
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.55
3.55
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.54
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.22
1.22
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.256
1.256
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
1463
32.65
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4791
33.44
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.12
2.12
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.259
0.259
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.28
36.28
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.61
37.61

Fielding Stats for Alex Main and Lee Smith

Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
75
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.04
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3868
27
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1289.1
9
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
52
0.36
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
156
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
111
0.77
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
180
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
167
1.17
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
171
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
163
1.14
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
95
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2.28
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.16
0.16
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.59
0.59
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.06
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Alex Main and Lee Smith

Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
3
3
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
77
334.78
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
138
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
127
552.17
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
64
540.85
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.158
0.158
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.434
0.434
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
20
86.96
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
65.22
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
21.74
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
21.74
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.45
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0.25
0.25
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.25
22.83
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
108.7
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
117.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.202
0.202
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.197
0.197
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.398
0.398
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0.039
0.039
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.14
0.14
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.306
0.306
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.22
0.22
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
26.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
21.74
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
47.83
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.57
15.51
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7
30.43
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
36
156.52
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.83
3.83
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.19
0.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
4
17.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
33.8
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
8.7
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Alex Main
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50
50
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA