Pop-boy Smith vs. Rick Waits — Career Comparison

Rick Waits built a career as a starting pitcher and Pop-boy Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Pop-boy Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.21 and WHIP 1.447 compared to 4.25 and 1.483 for Rick Waits. By the career numbers, Pop-boy Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.