Tom Gordon vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon and Lee Smith are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 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
Tom Gordon (1988–2009) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Gordon compiled 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Lee Smith put up 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 Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lee Smith, with 1.26 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108 to Lee Smith's 1,289.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Lee Smith's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Gordon's 29,014.
Tom Gordon
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 71 |
| Losses | 126 | 92 |
| Games | 890 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 6 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 1,251 |
| Walks | 977 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,889 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 176 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108 | 1,289 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith leads Tom Gordon 33,335 to 29,014 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,587 vs 1,319 per year). 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).
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
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 ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Gordon owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 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
Tom Gordon vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lee Smith, with 1.26 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.