John McGillen vs. Rufus Smith — Career Comparison

Rufus Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and John McGillen as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rufus Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.38 and WHIP 1.375 compared to 18 and 3.000 for John McGillen. By the career numbers, Rufus Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.