Lee Smith vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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 Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Billy Wagner's 903.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
Lee Smith
Billy Wagner
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lee Smith | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 71 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 92 | 40 |
| Games | Leads: 1,022 | 853 |
| Games Started | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 478 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,251 | 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 486 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,133 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 89 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,289.1 | 903.0 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner leads Lee Smith 38,470 to 33,335 — driven by per-season impact — 2,263 PIV per season to 1,587 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Wagner played 17 seasons to Lee Smith's 21. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
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.
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lee Smith owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee Smith and Billy Wagner careers compare
Lee Smith and Billy Wagner were active at the same time between 1995 and 1997. With 1,022 games against 853 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Billy Wagner are ERA (2.31 to 3.03), WHIP (1.00 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (11.92 to 8.73). By rate, Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39 per nine innings; Billy Wagner struck out 11.92 and walked 2.99. Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves), and Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves). In WHIP, Billy Wagner's 1.00 beats Lee Smith's 1.26.
Lee Smith vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee Smith or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Billy Wagner in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Lee Smith's 1.26.