Matt Smith vs. Fernando Valenzuela — Career Comparison

Fernando Valenzuela built a career as a starting pitcher and Matt Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Matt Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.55 and WHIP 1.459 compared to 3.54 and 1.343 for Fernando Valenzuela. By the career numbers, Matt Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.