R. Smith vs. Cotton Williams — Career Comparison

Cotton Williams 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. Cotton Williams posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.62 and WHIP 1.439 compared to 9 and 1.800 for R. Smith. By the career numbers, Cotton Williams had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.