Fred Smith vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Fred Smith
Pre-GenerationalMarylandThrows RightBats LeftNorth AmericaToledo MaumeesAmerican AssociationRelief Pitcher
Fernando Valenzuela
Baby BoomersMexicoThrows LeftBats LeftNorth AmericaLos Angeles DodgersNational LeagueStarting PitcherGold GloveCy Young AwardSilver SluggerRookie of the YearAll-Star

Fernando Valenzuela built a career as a starting pitcher and Fred Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Fred Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.27 and WHIP 1.269 compared to 3.54 and 1.343 for Fernando Valenzuela. By the career numbers, Fred Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Fred Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
17
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
35
1.1
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
453
1.39
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
34
1.07
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
424
1.3
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
0.6
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
173
0.53
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.41
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
153
0.47
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.38
59.38
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
53.07
53.07
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.14
97.14
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
93.6
93.6
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.98
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
113
0.35
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.06
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.1
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.01
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
104
3.27
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1154
3.54
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.27
3.27
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.54
3.54
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.26
3.26
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.5
3.5
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.86
3.86
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.79
3.79
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.244
0.244
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.248
0.248
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
858
27
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8790
27
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
286
9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2930
9
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
273
8.59
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2718
8.35
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.59
8.59
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.35
8.35
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.41
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
226
0.69
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.41
0.41
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.69
0.69
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.37
0.37
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.5
0.5
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90
2.83
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1151
3.54
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
65
0.2
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.83
2.83
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.54
3.54
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
116
3.65
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2074
6.37
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.65
3.65
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.37
6.37
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.31
3.31
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.58
4.58
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.72
0.72
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.101
1.101
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.31
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
119
0.37
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
13
0.41
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
25
0.08
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.03
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1223
38.49
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
12398
38.08
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10
0.03
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
155
4.88
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1303
4
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.88
4.88
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
4
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
182
0.56
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
69
0.21
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
209
0.64
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.269
1.269
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.321
1.321
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1120
35.24
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
10971
33.7
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.43
4.43
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.88
2.88
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.262
0.262
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.287
0.287
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.49
38.49
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
38.08
38.08

Fielding Stats for Fred Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
1
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
17
17
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
38
1.07
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
455
1.4
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
424
1.3
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
960
27
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8798
27
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
320
9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2932.2
9
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
19
0.53
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
202
0.62
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
70
1.97
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
586
1.8
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
6
0.17
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
30
0.09
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
95
2.67
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
818
2.51
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
2.5
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
788
2.42
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
93.68
93.68
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
96.33
96.33
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.342
2.342
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.732
1.732
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.19
93.19
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1
0.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.1
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Fred Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
1
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
17
17
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
38
168.89
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
474
272.67
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
135
600
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1043
600
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
126
560
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
936
538.45
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.502
0.502
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.52
0.52
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
21
93.33
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
187
107.57
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
13
57.78
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
150
86.29
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
7
31.11
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
26
14.96
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.44
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
1
0.58
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
10
5.75
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
35.56
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
37
21.28
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.381
0.381
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.198
0.198
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.011
0.011
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.054
0.054
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
7.86
34.94
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
49.61
28.54
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
30
133.33
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
245
140.94
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
30
133.33
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
195
112.18
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.222
0.222
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.205
0.205
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.238
0.238
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.262
0.262
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.46
0.46
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.467
0.467
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.071
0.071
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.062
0.062
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.16
0.16
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.158
0.158
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.41
0.41
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.332
0.332
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.167
0.167
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.225
0.225
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
11
48.89
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
56
32.21
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
10
44.44
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
84
48.32
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
21
93.33
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
130
74.78
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
6.9
30.64
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
46.68
26.85
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
4.44
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
8
35.56
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
8
4.6
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
145
83.41
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7.19
7.19
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.06
0.06
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
93
53.5
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.45
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
12
6.9
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
17.78
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fred Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.15
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
4
17.78
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
2
1.15
Fred Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0