Tom Henke vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 10 statistical categories compared on this page. Tom Henke played 1982–1995 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 Henke (1982–1995) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Henke compiled 41 wins and 861 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? Tom Henke, with 2.67 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Tom Henke's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Tom Henke's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Henke, with 1.09 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289 to Tom Henke's 789.
- 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 Tom Henke's 25,520.
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 Henke | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 41 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses | 42 | 92 |
| Games | 642 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 311 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | 861 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks | 255 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 607 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 64 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 789 | Leads: 1,289 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.67 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.81 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.91 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith leads Tom Henke 33,335 to 25,520 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,587 vs 1,823 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 Henke
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, and innings pitched, while Tom Henke owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Henke vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Henke or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Tom Henke in 6 of 10 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Henke, with 2.67 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Tom Henke's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Tom Henke's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Henke, with 1.09 to Lee Smith's 1.26.