John McFarland vs. Mark Smith — Career Comparison

John McFarland built a career as a starting pitcher and Mark Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Mark Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 6.75 and WHIP 2.114 compared to 12.24 and 2.520 for John McFarland. By the career numbers, Mark Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.