Joe Smith vs. Tim Wakefield — Career Comparison

Tim Wakefield built a career as a starting pitcher and Joe Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Joe Smith led in home run suppression (HR9+ 113 vs 78), run prevention (ERA+ 122 vs 90), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 96 vs 84). Role difference aside, Joe Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.