Lee Smith vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 10 statistical categories compared on this page. Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a pitcher; Bruce Sutter played 1976–1988 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
Lee Smith (1980–1997) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lee Smith compiled 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter put up 68 wins and 861 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.
- 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 Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Bruce Sutter
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 | Lee Smith | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 71 | 68 |
| Losses | 92 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 1,022 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 478 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,251 | 861 |
| Walks | 486 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,133 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 89 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,289 | 1,042 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Bruce Sutter 33,335 to 23,292 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,587 vs 1,941 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).
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Bruce Sutter owns ERA and WHIP. 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
Lee Smith vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee Smith or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Bruce Sutter in 7 of 10 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Lee Smith's 1.26.