Scot Shields vs. Ed Smith — Career Comparison

Ed Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Scot Shields as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Scot Shields posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.18 and WHIP 1.274 compared to 3.72 and 1.332 for Ed Smith. By the career numbers, Scot Shields had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.