Lee Smith vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Lee Smith | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | 68 |
| Losses | 92 | 71 |
| Games | 1,022 | 661 |
| Games Started | 6 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 478 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | 1,251 | 861 |
| Walks | 486 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,133 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 89 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,289 | 1,042 |
| ERA | 3.03 | 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | 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 — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 1 seasons 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.