Rudy May vs. Lee Smith — Career Comparison

Rudy May
Silent GenerationKansasThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaCalifornia AngelsAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

Rudy May 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. Lee Smith led in home run suppression (HR9+ 131 vs 103), strikeout rate (K%+ 128 vs 101), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 112 vs 96). Role difference aside, Lee Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Rudy May and Lee Smith

Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
535
1.84
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
360
1.24
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
152
0.52
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
156
0.54
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
49.35
49.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
67.29
67.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
87
0.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.08
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
0.04
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
1007
3.46
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.46
3.46
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.2
3.2
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.79
3.79
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.238
0.238
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.237
0.237
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7866
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2622
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
2314
7.94
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1133
7.91
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.94
7.94
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.91
7.91
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
199
0.68
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.62
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.68
0.68
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.62
0.62
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.37
0.37
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
958
3.29
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
0.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.29
3.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1760
6.04
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.04
6.04
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.29
3.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.037
1.037
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
67
0.23
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
42
0.14
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
18
0.06
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10902
37.42
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5388
37.61
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
73
0.25
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
1150
3.95
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.95
3.95
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
117
0.4
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
62
0.21
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
128
0.44
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.54
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.248
1.248
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.256
1.256
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
9723
33.37
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4791
33.44
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.15
2.15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.272
0.272
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.42
37.42
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.61
37.61

Fielding Stats for Rudy May and Lee Smith

Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
16
16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
535
1.84
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
360
1.24
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7865
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2621.2
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
87
0.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
52
0.36
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
382
1.31
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
0.13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
506
1.74
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
469
1.61
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
92.69
92.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.877
0.877
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
67.29
67.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
18
0.06
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Rudy May and Lee Smith

Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
16
16
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
536
839.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
383
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
341
534.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
64
540.85
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.123
0.123
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.384
0.384
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
42
65.8
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33
51.7
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
14.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
14.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.45
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0.214
0.214
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9.27
14.52
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
79.9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
66
103.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.18
0.18
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.15
0.15
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.33
0.33
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0.026
0.026
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.119
0.119
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.248
0.248
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.236
0.236
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
18.8
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14
21.93
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
40.73
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.07
1.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
3.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
22
34.46
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PAverified
164
256.92
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.34
2.34
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.13
0.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
17
26.63
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
33.8
Rudy May
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
1.57
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
4
6.27
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rudy May
Career
Per 600 PA
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA