Gil Patterson vs. J. D. Smart — Career Comparison

Gil Patterson built a career as a starting pitcher and J. D. Smart as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. J. D. Smart posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.35 and WHIP 1.426 compared to 5.4 and 1.770 for Gil Patterson. By the career numbers, J. D. Smart had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.