Blake Smith vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Fernando Valenzuela built a career as a starting pitcher and Blake Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Fernando Valenzuela posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.54 and WHIP 1.343 compared to 6.23 and 1.615 for Blake Smith. By the career numbers, Fernando Valenzuela had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.