James Shields vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

James Shields 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 70), run prevention (ERA+ 123 vs 88), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 104 vs 84). James Shields held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 102 vs 89). Role difference aside, Dave Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.