Lee Smith vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star
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 Lee Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Lee Smith led in strikeout rate (K%+ 128 vs 79), walk avoidance (BB%+ 104 vs 80), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 112 vs 91). Role difference aside, Lee Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Lee Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
17
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
453
1.39
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
424
1.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
173
0.53
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
153
0.47
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
53.07
53.07
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.6
93.6
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
113
0.35
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.1
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
0.01
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1154
3.54
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.54
3.54
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.5
3.5
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.79
3.79
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.237
0.237
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.248
0.248
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8790
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2930
9
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1133
7.91
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
2718
8.35
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.91
7.91
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.35
8.35
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.62
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
226
0.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.62
0.62
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.69
0.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.5
0.5
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
486
3.39
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1151
3.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
65
0.2
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.39
3.39
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.54
3.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2074
6.37
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
6.37
6.37
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.58
4.58
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.101
1.101
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
47
0.33
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
119
0.37
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
25
0.08
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
11
0.03
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5388
37.61
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12398
38.08
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
10
0.03
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1303
4
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
4
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
63
0.44
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
182
0.56
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
69
0.21
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
77
0.54
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
209
0.64
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.256
1.256
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.321
1.321
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4791
33.44
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10971
33.7
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.88
2.88
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.287
0.287
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.61
37.61
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
38.08
38.08

Fielding Stats for Lee Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
17
17
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
455
1.4
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
424
1.3
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
8798
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2932.2
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
0.36
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
202
0.62
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
586
1.8
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
30
0.09
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
818
2.51
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
788
2.42
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.6
97.6
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
96.33
96.33
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.732
1.732
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.19
93.19
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
31
0.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Lee Smith and Fernando Valenzuela

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
17
17
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
474
272.67
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1043
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
64
540.85
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
936
538.45
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.52
0.52
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
187
107.57
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
150
86.29
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
26
14.96
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
0.58
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
10
5.75
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1
8.45
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
37
21.28
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.198
0.198
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.011
0.011
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.054
0.054
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.33
11.23
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
49.61
28.54
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
245
140.94
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
195
112.18
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.205
0.205
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.262
0.262
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.467
0.467
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.062
0.062
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.158
0.158
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.332
0.332
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.225
0.225
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
56
32.21
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
84
48.32
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
130
74.78
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
46.68
26.85
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.35
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
8
4.6
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PAverified
145
83.41
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
7.19
7.19
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.07
0.07
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0.06
0.06
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
4
33.8
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
93
53.5
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.45
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
12
6.9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.15
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Fernando Valenzuela
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.15
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Fernando Valenzuela
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0