R. Smith vs. John Sullivan — Career Comparison

John Sullivan built a career as a starting pitcher and R. Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Sullivan posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.2 and WHIP 2.133 compared to 9 and 1.800 for R. Smith. By the career numbers, John Sullivan had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.