Jake Smith vs. Michael Wacha — Career Comparison

Michael Wacha built a career as a starting pitcher and Jake Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jake Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 0 and WHIP 1.000 compared to 3.89 and 1.286 for Michael Wacha. By the career numbers, Jake Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.