Dave Righetti vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dave Righetti compiled 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Lee Smith put up 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dave Righetti
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Dave Righetti | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | 71 |
| Losses | 79 | 92 |
| Games | 718 | 1,022 |
| Games Started | 89 | 6 |
| Complete Games | 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 252 | 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,112 | 1,251 |
| Walks | 591 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,287 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 95 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,403 | 1,289 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Dave Righetti 33,335 to 20,202 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,587 vs 1,188 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).
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lee Smith — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dave Righetti owns wins 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.