Bob Shirley vs. Dave Smith — Career Comparison

Bob Shirley 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 90), run prevention (ERA+ 123 vs 96), and walk avoidance (BB%+ 100 vs 87). Bob Shirley held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 98 vs 89). Role difference aside, Dave Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.