R. Smith vs. David Williams — Career Comparison

David 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. David Williams posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.83 and WHIP 1.449 compared to 9 and 1.800 for R. Smith. By the career numbers, David Williams had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.