Joe Murphy vs. Rufus Smith — Career Comparison

Joe Murphy
Pre-GenerationalMissouriNorth AmericaCincinnati Red StockingsAmerican AssociationRelief Pitcher
Rufus Smith
Greatest GenerationNorth CarolinaThrows LeftBats RightNorth AmericaDetroit TigersAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher

Rufus Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Murphy 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 5.97 and 1.653 for Joe Murphy. By the career numbers, Rufus Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Joe Murphy and Rufus Smith

Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
2
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
1.04
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
1.13
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
1.04
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
1.13
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.38
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.66
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
36.36
36.36
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
100
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
100
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.95
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
5.97
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
3.38
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.97
5.97
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.38
3.38
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.72
4.72
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.52
3.52
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.2
4.2
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.279
0.279
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.242
0.242
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
285
27
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
24
27
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
95
9
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
9
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
113
10.71
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
9
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.71
10.71
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
9
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.28
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.28
0.28
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.27
0.27
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
44
4.17
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
3.38
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.17
4.17
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.38
3.38
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
30
2.84
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2.25
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.84
2.84
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.25
2.25
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.73
2.73
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.779
0.779
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.625
0.625
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
18
1.71
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
1.13
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.09
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1.13
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1.13
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
450
42.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
41.63
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
87
8.24
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4.5
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.24
8.24
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.5
4.5
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.653
1.653
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.375
1.375
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
405
38.37
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
33
37.13
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.91
7.91
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.296
0.296
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.258
0.258
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
42.63
42.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
41.63
41.63

Fielding Stats for Joe Murphy and Rufus Smith

Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
2
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
1.08
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
300
27
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
9
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.36
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
11
0.99
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.09
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
16
1.44
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
15
1.35
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.75
93.75
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
100
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.25
1.25
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0

Hitting Stats for Joe Murphy and Rufus Smith

Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
2
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
11
160.98
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
200
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
41
600
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
600
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
41
600
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
600
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.098
0.098
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.242
0.242
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
58.54
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
43.9
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
14.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
14.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.56
8.23
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
73.17
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
58.54
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.098
0.098
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.122
0.122
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.22
0.22
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.024
0.024
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.074
0.074
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.162
0.162
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.121
0.121
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
29.27
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
14.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
43.9
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PAverified
-1.21
-17.7
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
-0.32
-64.27
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
117.07
Rufus Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
400
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.13
5.13
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.5
1.5
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
14.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
14.63
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Joe Murphy
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Rufus Smith
Career
Per 600 PA