Lee Smith vs. Michael Wacha — Career Comparison

Lee Smith
Baby BoomersLouisianaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaChicago CubsNational LeagueHall of FameRelief PitcherAll-Star
Michael Wacha
MillenialIowaThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaKansas City RoyalsAmerican LeagueStarting PitcherAll-Star

Michael Wacha 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 home run suppression (HR9+ 131 vs 94), strikeout rate (K%+ 128 vs 94), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 112 vs 96). Michael Wacha held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 107 vs 104). Role difference aside, Lee Smith holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.

Pitching Stats for Lee Smith and Michael Wacha

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
309
1.71
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
288
1.59
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
71
0.5
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
111
0.61
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
92
0.64
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
75
0.41
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
43.56
43.56
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
59.68
59.68
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.2
93.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.01
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2
0.01
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
478
3.34
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
434
3.03
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
703
3.89
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.03
3.03
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.89
3.89
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.04
3.04
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.75
3.75
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.11
3.11
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.81
3.81
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.237
0.237
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.253
0.253
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4882
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1627.1
9
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1133
7.91
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1571
8.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.91
7.91
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
8.69
8.69
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
89
0.62
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
194
1.07
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.62
0.62
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.07
1.07
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.09
0.09
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.63
0.63
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
486
3.39
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
503
2.78
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
100
0.7
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
0.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.39
3.39
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.78
2.78
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1251
8.73
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1416
7.83
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8.73
8.73
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
7.83
7.83
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.22
1.22
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4.58
4.58
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.347
1.347
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.179
1.179
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
47
0.33
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
43
0.24
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
0.07
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
42
0.23
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.03
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.02
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
5388
37.61
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6846
37.86
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
802
5.6
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.02
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
475
3.32
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
746
4.13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.32
3.32
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.13
4.13
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
63
0.44
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37
0.2
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
38
0.27
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
45
0.25
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
77
0.54
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
136
0.75
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.256
1.256
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.275
1.275
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
4791
33.44
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6219
34.39
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.46
0.46
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.41
2.41
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.303
0.303
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.299
0.299
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.61
37.61
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.86
37.86

Fielding Stats for Lee Smith and Michael Wacha

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
18
18
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1022
7.13
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
309
1.71
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
6
0.04
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
288
1.59
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
3868
27
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4882
27
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
1289.1
9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1627.1
9
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
52
0.36
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
119
0.66
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
0.77
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
170
0.94
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.03
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
7
0.04
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
167
1.17
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
296
1.64
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
163
1.14
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
289
1.6
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
97.6
97.6
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.64
97.64
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.16
0.16
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.935
0.935
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.59
0.59
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
93.2
93.2
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
9
0.06
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
14
0.08
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Lee Smith and Michael Wacha

Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18
18
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
13
13
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1023
8645.07
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
310
641.38
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
71
600
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
290
600
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
64
540.85
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
251
519.31
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.047
0.047
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.092
0.092
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.247
0.247
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.319
0.319
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
23
47.59
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
21
43.45
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
4.14
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
8.45
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2
4.14
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.087
0.087
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.016
0.016
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1.33
11.23
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2.82
5.84
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
25
51.72
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
6
50.7
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
66.21
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.09
0.09
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.123
0.123
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.094
0.094
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.1
0.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.183
0.183
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.222
0.222
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.047
0.047
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.008
0.008
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.08
0.08
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.152
0.152
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.095
0.095
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.181
0.181
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
33.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
2
16.9
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
16
33.1
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
3
25.35
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
32
66.21
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
-3.06
-25.86
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PAverified
-7.53
-15.58
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
25.35
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
9
18.62
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
42
354.93
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PAverified
125
258.62
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
1.69
1.69
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2.32
2.32
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0.07
0.07
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
4
33.8
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
29
60
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Lee Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
3
6.21
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1
2.07
Lee Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
Michael Wacha
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
100
100