Kevin Brown vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Kevin Brown and John Smoltz are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Kevin Brown played 1986–2005 as a pitcher; John Smoltz played 1988–2009 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
Kevin Brown (1986–2005) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Kevin Brown finished with 211 wins and 2,397 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Kevin Brown, with 3.28 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Kevin Brown's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Kevin Brown's 2,397.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Kevin Brown's 1.22.
- How many innings did each pitch? Kevin Brown 3,256.1, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kevin Brown, with 17 to John Smoltz's 16.
Kevin Brown
John Smoltz
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Kevin Brown | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 211 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 144 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 486 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 476 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 72 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 17 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,397 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 901 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,079 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 208 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,256.1 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.28 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.22 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.62 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz leads Kevin Brown 91,907 to 82,163 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,376 PIV per season to 4,324, across 21 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Kevin Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Kevin Brown and John Smoltz split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades John Smoltz higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kevin Brown and John Smoltz careers compare
Kevin Brown and John Smoltz were active at the same time between 1988 and 2005. The two careers are close in length, 486 games for Kevin Brown and 723 for John Smoltz across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where John Smoltz comes out ahead, it is in wins (213 to 211), strikeouts (3,084 to 2,397), and WHIP (1.18 to 1.22). The per-nine rows read 6.62 strikeouts and 2.49 walks for Kevin Brown, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Their roles differ: Kevin Brown was mainly a starter (476 starts in 486 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Kevin Brown vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kevin Brown or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kevin Brown, with 3.28 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Kevin Brown's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Kevin Brown's 2,397.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Kevin Brown's 1.22.