Denny McLain vs. Lee Smith — Career Comparison

Denny McLain
Silent GenerationIllinoisThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherCy Young AwardMVPAll-Star
Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star

Denny McLain 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 65), skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 112 vs 90), and strikeout rate (K%+ 128 vs 108). Role difference aside, Lee Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Denny McLain and Lee Smith

Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
280
1.34
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
264
1.26
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
131
0.63
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
91
0.43
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.01
59.01
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
94.29
94.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
105
0.5
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
29
0.14
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.01
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
711
3.39
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.2
3.2
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.22
4.22
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.232
0.232
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.237
0.237
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5658
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1886
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1646
7.85
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1133
7.91
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.85
7.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.91
7.91
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
242
1.15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.62
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.15
1.15
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.62
0.62
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.86
0.86
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
548
2.62
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.11
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.62
2.62
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1282
6.12
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.12
6.12
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.58
4.58
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.97
0.97
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
0.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
26
0.12
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.04
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7719
36.84
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
5388
37.61
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.04
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
778
3.71
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.71
3.71
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
77
0.54
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.163
1.163
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.256
1.256
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7108
33.92
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4791
33.44
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.78
2.78
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.251
0.251
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.84
36.84
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.61
37.61

Fielding Stats for Denny McLain and Lee Smith

Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
280
1.34
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
264
1.26
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5657
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1885.2
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
154
0.74
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
0.36
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
212
1.01
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.06
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
379
1.81
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
366
1.75
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.57
96.57
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.307
1.307
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
94.29
94.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
0.07
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Denny McLain and Lee Smith

Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
10
10
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
285
241.18
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
709
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
616
521.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
64
540.85
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.133
0.133
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.398
0.398
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
82
69.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
74
62.62
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
4.23
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.69
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
1
0.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
8
6.77
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0.098
0.098
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0.002
0.002
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0.012
0.012
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
14.76
12.49
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
94
79.55
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
107
90.55
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.166
0.166
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.153
0.153
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.319
0.319
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0.02
0.02
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.113
0.113
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.221
0.221
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.216
0.216
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
27.08
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
31
26.23
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
62
52.47
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.5
1.27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
25
21.16
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.35
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PAverified
244
206.49
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.91
2.91
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.1
0.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
64
54.16
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
4
33.8
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
3.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
10
8.46
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Denny McLain
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA