Ben McDonald vs. Al Smith — Career Comparison

Ben McDonald built a career as a starting pitcher and Al Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ben McDonald posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.91 and WHIP 1.271 compared to 9 and 3.000 for Al Smith. By the career numbers, Ben McDonald had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.