Ed Smith vs. Ron Willis — Career Comparison

Ed Smith
Pre-GenerationalIndianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaSt. Louis BrownsAmerican LeagueStarting Pitcher
Ron Willis
Silent GenerationTennesseeThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaSt. Louis CardinalsNational LeagueRelief Pitcher

Ed Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Ron Willis as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ron Willis posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.32 and WHIP 1.544 compared to 3.72 and 1.332 for Ed Smith. By the career numbers, Ron Willis had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Ed Smith and Ron Willis

Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
5
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
1.11
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
188
7.1
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
1.05
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
8
0.47
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
0.42
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
11
0.64
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
0.45
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
42.11
42.11
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
47.83
47.83
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
94.74
94.74
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.76
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.72
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
64
3.72
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
88
3.32
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.72
3.72
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.53
3.53
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.36
3.36
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.85
3.85
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.36
4.36
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.261
0.261
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.232
0.232
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
464
27
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
715
27
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
154.2
9
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
238.1
9
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
153
8.9
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
209
7.89
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.9
8.9
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.89
7.89
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.17
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
15
0.57
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.17
0.17
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.57
0.57
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.08
0.08
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
3.08
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
119
4.49
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
40
1.51
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.08
3.08
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.49
4.49
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
45
2.62
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
128
4.83
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.62
2.62
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.83
4.83
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.37
2.37
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.68
0.68
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.634
0.634
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.036
1.036
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
0.29
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
0.49
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8
0.47
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.34
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.06
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
647
37.65
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1037
39.16
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.06
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
74
2.79
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
90
5.24
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
101
3.81
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.24
5.24
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.81
3.81
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.15
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
3
0.11
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.332
1.332
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.376
1.376
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
586
34.1
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
902
34.06
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.74
4.74
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.54
0.54
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.279
0.279
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.256
0.256
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.65
37.65
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39.16
39.16

Fielding Stats for Ed Smith and Ron Willis

Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5
5
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
1.1
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
188
7.1
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
1.05
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
465
27
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
715
27
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
155
9
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
238.1
9
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.41
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
24
0.91
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
54
3.14
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
56
2.11
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.35
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
67
3.89
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
80
3.02
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
3.54
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
80
3.02
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
91.04
91.04
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
100
100
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.211
3.211
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.426
0.426
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
94.74
94.74
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.12
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.23
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Ed Smith and Ron Willis

Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
5
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
19
180.95
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
188
4338.46
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
63
600
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
26
600
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
54
514.29
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PAverified
25
576.92
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.204
0.204
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.16
0.16
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.579
0.579
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.404
0.404
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
104.76
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
4
92.31
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
95.24
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
3
69.23
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
23.08
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
9.52
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
9.52
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
23.08
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4.31
41.03
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.8
18.42
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
123.81
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
5
115.38
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
171.43
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
5
115.38
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.295
0.295
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.241
0.241
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.2
0.2
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.536
0.536
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.392
0.392
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.037
0.037
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.04
0.04
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.193
0.193
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.137
0.137
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.465
0.465
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.273
0.273
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.314
0.314
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.235
0.235
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
57.14
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
1
23.08
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
7
66.67
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
69.23
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
13
123.81
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
4
92.31
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5
47.66
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.27
6.2
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
9.52
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
57.14
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
1
23.08
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
19
180.95
Ron Willis
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
8
184.62
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3.32
3.32
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
3.25
3.25
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.32
0.32
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0.13
0.13
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
19.05
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
1
23.08
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ed Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Ron Willis
Career
Per 600 PA