Doug Jones vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Doug Jones played 1982–2000 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
Doug Jones (1982–2000) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — both debuted in the 1980s. Doug Jones finished with 69 wins and 909 strikeouts; Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lee Smith, in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Lee Smith, with 478 to Doug Jones's 303.
- Who had the better ERA? Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP? Doug Jones, with 1.24 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Lee Smith, with 8.73 to Doug Jones's 7.25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Doug Jones's 31,960.
Doug Jones
Lee Smith
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. 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 | Doug Jones | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 69 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 92 |
| Games not scored | 846 | 1,022 |
| Games Started not scored | 4 | 6 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 303 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | 909 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 247 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,155 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 86 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,128.1 | 1,289.1 |
| ERA | 3.30 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.25 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.97 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith edges Doug Jones 33,335 to 31,960 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Lee Smith played 18 seasons to Doug Jones's 16, while Doug Jones carries the higher per-season figure (1,997 to 1,852). 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 (40+ innings).
Doug Jones — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lee Smith — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Lee Smith leads 4 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, strikeouts, ERA, and strikeouts per nine. Doug Jones leads 2: WHIP and walks per nine. Both are scored as relievers. 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
How the Doug Jones and Lee Smith careers compare
The careers of Doug Jones (1982–2000) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) overlapped from 1982 to 1997, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 846 games against 1,022 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Doug Jones's edges on the table are WHIP (1.24 to 1.26) and walks per nine (1.97 to 3.39). The per-nine rows read 7.25 strikeouts and 1.97 walks for Doug Jones, 8.73 and 3.39 for Lee Smith. Doug Jones worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 846 games, 303 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves).
Doug Jones vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Doug Jones or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Doug Jones in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Lee Smith, with 478 to Doug Jones's 303.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Doug Jones, with 1.24 to Lee Smith's 1.26.