Ford Smith vs. Bruce Sutter — Career Comparison

Ford Smith
Greatest GenerationArizonaThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaKansas City MonarchsNegro American LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star
Bruce Sutter
Baby BoomersPennsylvaniaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherCy Young AwardAll-Star

Ford Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Bruce Sutter as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ford Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.37 and WHIP 1.115 compared to 2.83 and 1.220 for Bruce Sutter. By the career numbers, Ford Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Ford Smith and Bruce Sutter

Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
28
1.38
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
661
5.71
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
0.89
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.69
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
68
0.59
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.3
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.61
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
70
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
48.92
48.92
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
64.29
64.29
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.64
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.15
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.1
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
300
2.59
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
48
2.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
328
2.83
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.37
2.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.83
2.83
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.38
2.38
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.62
2.62
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.01
3.01
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.24
3.24
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.227
0.227
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.23
0.23
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
546
27
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3126
27
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
182
9
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1042
9
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
150
7.42
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
879
7.59
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.42
7.42
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.59
7.59
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.15
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
77
0.67
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.15
0.15
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.67
0.67
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.11
0.11
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.12
0.12
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
53
2.62
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
309
2.67
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
83
0.72
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.62
2.62
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.67
2.67
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
109
5.39
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
861
7.44
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5.39
5.39
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.44
7.44
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.89
3.89
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.3
1.3
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.89
0.89
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.123
1.123
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.15
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
0.32
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
0.35
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.11
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
8
0.07
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
737
36.45
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4251
36.72
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.49
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
512
4.42
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
62
3.07
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
370
3.2
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.07
3.07
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.2
3.2
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
15
0.74
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
0.65
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
0.22
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
21
1.04
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
85
0.73
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.115
1.115
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.14
1.14
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
662
32.74
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3829
33.07
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.21
2.21
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.56
0.56
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.267
0.267
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.277
0.277
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
36.45
36.45
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
36.72
36.72

Fielding Stats for Ford Smith and Bruce Sutter

Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12
12
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
54
1.29
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
661
5.71
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
39
0.93
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1128
27
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
3126
27
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
376
9
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1042
9
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
35
0.84
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
90
0.78
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
56
1.34
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
145
1.25
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
7
0.17
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
0.08
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
98
2.35
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
244
2.11
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
91
2.18
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
235
2.03
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92.86
92.86
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
96.31
96.31
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.685
1.685
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.356
0.356
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
72.22
72.22
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
6
0.14
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
9
0.08
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Ford Smith and Bruce Sutter

Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
4
4
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
12
12
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
63
219.77
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
661
3277.69
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
172
600
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
121
600
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
157
547.67
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
102
505.79
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.236
0.236
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.088
0.088
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.634
0.634
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.346
0.346
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
129.07
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
9
44.63
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
90.7
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
9
44.63
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
9
31.4
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
38.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.297
0.297
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.006
0.006
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.027
0.027
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
15.54
54.21
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
1.46
7.22
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
177.91
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
9
44.63
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49
170.93
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
17
84.3
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.29
0.29
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.153
0.153
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.325
0.325
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.088
0.088
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.615
0.615
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.241
0.241
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.089
0.089
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.212
0.212
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.091
0.091
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.525
0.525
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.192
0.192
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.232
0.232
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.17
0.17
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
23
80.23
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
6
29.75
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
101.16
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
6
29.75
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
51
177.91
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
12
59.5
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16.85
58.77
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
-1.85
-9.17
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
3.49
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
38.37
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
7
34.71
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
3.49
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
50
247.93
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
172
172
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
2.42
2.42
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
11
11
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0.14
0.14
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
10.47
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
49.59
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Ford Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
1
4.96
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.96
Ford Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Bruce Sutter
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100