Rich Gossage vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 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
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rich Gossage compiled 124 wins and 1,502 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? Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809 to Lee Smith's 1,289.
- 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 Rich Gossage's 28,157.
Rich Gossage
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 | Rich Gossage | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 71 |
| Losses | 107 | 92 |
| Games | 1,002 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 6 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 310 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 1,251 |
| Walks | 732 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,497 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 119 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809 | 1,289 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.47 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith leads Rich Gossage 33,335 to 28,157 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,587 vs 1,224 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).
Rich Gossage — 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, Rich Gossage leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Lee Smith owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rich Gossage. Note that PIV actually grades Lee Smith ahead, which means Rich Gossage's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Rich Gossage vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Lee Smith in 7 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Lee Smith's 1.26.