 Smith 's salary rose to over $ 1 @.@ 4 million , but he followed his 1988 season with a mediocre 1989 , finishing with his worst ERA in five years . For the seventh consecutive season , his number of innings pitched decreased or remained the same . However , he compiled 12 @.@ 23 strikeouts per nine innings , nearly two higher than any other season of his career . It was also the last of his four seasons with more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings . 
