Dennis Eckersley vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a starting pitcher; Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a relief 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) held different pitching jobs, so this page does not score them category by category. Dennis Eckersley worked mainly as a starter, with 361 starts and 197 wins; Lee Smith worked mainly in relief, with 1,022 games and 478 saves. Each career is shown below in its own role, with Pitcher PIV as the comparison.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
- Who won more championships? Dennis Eckersley, with 1 World Series title to Lee Smith's 0.
Dennis Eckersley
Lee Smith
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Dennis Eckersley is shown as a starter and Lee Smith as a reliever. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because a starter's totals and a reliever's totals measure different jobs.
Dennis Eckersley — Starting Pitcher
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley |
|---|---|
| Wins | 197 |
| Losses | 171 |
| Games | 1,071 |
| Games Started | 361 |
| Complete Games | 100 |
| Shutouts | 20 |
| Saves | 390 |
| Strikeouts | 2,401 |
| Walks | 738 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,076 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,285.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 |
| WHIP | 1.16 |
| K/9 | 6.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 |
Lee Smith — Relief Pitcher
| Statistic | Lee Smith |
|---|---|
| Wins | 71 |
| Losses | 92 |
| Games | 1,022 |
| Games Started | 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 |
| Saves | 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,251 |
| Walks | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,289.1 |
| ERA | 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
Dennis Eckersley carries a career Pitcher PIV of 41,139; Lee Smith carries a career Pitcher PIV of 33,335. Dennis Eckersley is the higher of the two at 41,139 to 33,335. Pitcher PIV scores each season against that season's league and weights it by workload, so a starter's innings add to his total.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings for a starter, 40+ for a reliever).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lee Smith — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith: one worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief. On Pitcher PIV, Dennis Eckersley is higher, 41,139 to 33,335. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith careers compare
Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith were active at the same time between 1980 and 1997. Dennis Eckersley's pitching card shows 197 wins, a 3.50 ERA and 2,401 strikeouts. As a pitcher, Lee Smith went 71-92 with a 3.03 ERA and 1,251 strikeouts. One worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief, so the page keeps their statistics in separate tables and compares them on Pitcher PIV. Best seasons: 1975 for Dennis Eckersley (2.60 ERA, 13-7, 152 K in 186 IP) and 1983 for Lee Smith (1.65 ERA, 4-10, 29 SV, 91 K in 103 IP).
Dennis Eckersley vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
- Who won more championships?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 1 World Series title to Lee Smith's 0.
- How do Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith compare?
- Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 and Lee Smith played 1980–1997; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.