John Roper vs. Al Smith — Career Comparison

John Roper built a career as a starting pitcher and Al Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Roper posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.35 and WHIP 1.511 compared to 9 and 3.000 for Al Smith. By the career numbers, John Roper had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.