David Patton vs. Frank Smith — Career Comparison

Frank Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and David Patton as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Frank Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.59 and WHIP 1.166 compared to 6.83 and 1.880 for David Patton. By the career numbers, Frank Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.