Reb Russell vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Reb Russell 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. Reb Russell posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.33 and WHIP 1.080 compared to 9 and 1.667 for Dave Smith. By the career numbers, Reb Russell had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.