Nels Potter vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Nels Potter
Greatest GenerationIllinoisThrows RightBats LeftNorth AmericaSt. Louis BrownsAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Dave Smith
Baby BoomersCaliforniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaHouston AstrosAmerican LeagueRelief PitcherAll-Star

Nels Potter 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 posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.67 and WHIP 1.294 compared to 3.99 and 1.366 for Nels Potter. By the career numbers, Dave Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Nels Potter and Dave Smith

Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
12
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
349
1.86
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
609
6.77
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
177
0.94
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.01
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
92
0.49
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
0.59
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
97
0.52
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
53
0.59
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
48.68
48.68
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50
50
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
50.72
50.72
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.48
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.03
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.12
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
216
2.4
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
748
3.99
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
240
2.67
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.67
2.67
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.82
3.82
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.72
2.72
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.14
4.14
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.29
3.29
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.259
0.259
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.234
0.234
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5058
27
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2428
27
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1686
9
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
809.1
9
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1721
9.19
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
700
7.78
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
9.19
9.19
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.78
7.78
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
123
0.66
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
34
0.38
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.66
0.66
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.38
0.38
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.35
0.35
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.06
0.06
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
582
3.11
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
283
3.15
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
64
0.71
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.15
3.15
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
747
3.99
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
548
6.09
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.99
3.99
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.09
6.09
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.14
2.14
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.9
0.9
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.788
0.788
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.027
1.027
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
40
0.21
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
28
0.31
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
21
0.11
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
0.14
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.03
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
22
0.24
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7248
38.69
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3357
37.33
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
126
0.67
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
432
4.8
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
843
4.5
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
280
3.11
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.5
4.5
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
55
0.61
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.21
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
57
0.63
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.366
1.366
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.215
1.215
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6645
35.47
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2987
33.22
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.42
2.42
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.277
0.277
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.277
0.277
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.69
38.69
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.33
37.33

Fielding Stats for Nels Potter and Dave Smith

Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
12
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
13
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
349
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
609
6.77
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.01
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2428
27
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
809.1
9
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
98
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
42
0.47
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
307
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
87
0.97
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
0.12
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
423
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
140
1.56
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
405
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
129
1.43
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
95.74
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
92.14
92.14
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1.161
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.212
0.212
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.16
0.16
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
18
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.07
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Nels Potter and Dave Smith

Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
12
12
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
13
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
352
337.38
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
609
6894.34
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
626
600
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
53
600
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
562
538.66
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
44
498.11
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.228
0.228
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.068
0.068
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.564
0.564
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.321
0.321
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
128
122.68
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
33.96
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
113
108.31
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
33.96
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
14.38
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15
14.38
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.117
0.117
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
35.96
34.47
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.33
3.76
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
143
137.06
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
33.96
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
164
157.19
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
7
79.25
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.274
0.274
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.146
0.146
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.254
0.254
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.068
0.068
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.529
0.529
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.214
0.214
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.027
0.027
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.187
0.187
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.083
0.083
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.4
0.4
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.13
0.13
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
23.96
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
22.64
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
35.46
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
11.32
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
62
59.42
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
33.96
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
42.78
41
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.48
-16.72
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.96
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
35
33.55
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
45.28
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
50
47.92
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
21
237.74
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12.52
12.52
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2.52
2.52
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.7
0.7
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.19
0.19
Nels Potter
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
28
26.84
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
5
56.6
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
14
13.42
Dave Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
11.32
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nels Potter
Career
Per 600 PA
Dave Smith
Career
Per 600 PA