Chad Smith vs. Wilbur Wood — Career Comparison

Wilbur Wood built a career as a starting pitcher and Chad Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Wilbur Wood posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.24 and WHIP 1.258 compared to 8.31 and 2.000 for Chad Smith. By the career numbers, Wilbur Wood had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.