Billy Pierce vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Billy Pierce built a career as a starting pitcher and Dave Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Dave Smith led in home run suppression (HR9+ 198 vs 96), run prevention (ERA+ 123 vs 109), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 104 vs 97). Billy Pierce held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 102 vs 89). Keeping the role difference in mind, the edge still goes to Dave Smith.