Larry Andersen vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Larry Andersen played 1975–1994 as a pitcher; Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Larry Andersen (1975–1994) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Larry Andersen finished with 40 wins and 758 strikeouts; Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Larry Andersen's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Larry Andersen's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Larry Andersen's 758.
- Who had the better WHIP? Larry Andersen, with 1.25 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Larry Andersen's 995.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Larry Andersen's 22,588.
Larry Andersen
Lee Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Andersen | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 40 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 39 | 92 |
| Games | 699 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | 1 | Leads: 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 49 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | 758 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 311 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 932 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 58 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 995.1 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | 3.15 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 6.85 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.81 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Larry Andersen 33,335 to 22,588 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,587 PIV per season to 1,189, across 21 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Larry Andersen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Larry Andersen owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lee Smith. PIV agrees: Lee Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Andersen and Lee Smith careers compare
The careers of Larry Andersen (1975–1994) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) overlapped from 1980 to 1994, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 699 games against 1,022 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Larry Andersen's edges on the table are WHIP (1.25 to 1.26) and walks per nine (2.81 to 3.39). By rate, Larry Andersen struck out 6.85 and walked 2.81 per nine innings; Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39. Larry Andersen worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 699 games, 49 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves).
Larry Andersen vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Andersen or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Larry Andersen in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Larry Andersen's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Larry Andersen's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Larry Andersen's 758.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Larry Andersen, with 1.25 to Lee Smith's 1.26.