Lee Smith vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith (1980–1997) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lee Smith compiled 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm put up 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | 143 |
| Losses | 92 | 122 |
| Games | 1,022 | 1,070 |
| Games Started | 6 | 52 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 5 |
| Saves | 478 | 227 |
| Strikeouts | 1,251 | 1,610 |
| Walks | 486 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,133 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 89 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,289 | 2,254 |
| ERA | 3.03 | 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | 6.43 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm leads Lee Smith 40,894 to 33,335 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,573 vs 1,587 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)
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Lee Smith owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.