John Smoltz vs. Charlie Sweeney — Career Comparison

John Smoltz built a career as a starting pitcher and Charlie Sweeney as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Charlie Sweeney posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 2.87 and WHIP 1.067 compared to 3.33 and 1.200 for John Smoltz. By the career numbers, Charlie Sweeney had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.