Brian Smith vs. David West — Career Comparison

David West built a career as a starting pitcher and Brian Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. David West posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.66 and WHIP 1.486 compared to 10.38 and 1.846 for Brian Smith. By the career numbers, David West had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.