Kevin Appier vs David Cone: Career Stats Comparison
Kevin Appier (1989–2004) and David Cone (1986–2003) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Kevin Appier compiled 169 wins and 1,994 strikeouts; David Cone put up 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Kevin Appier
David Cone
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 | Kevin Appier | David Cone |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 169 | 194 |
| Losses | 137 | 126 |
| Games | 414 | 450 |
| Games Started | 402 | 419 |
| Complete Games | 34 | 56 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 22 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,994 | 2,668 |
| Walks | 933 | 1,137 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,425 | 2,504 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 232 | 258 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,595 | 2,898 |
| ERA | 3.74 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 6.91 | 8.28 |
| BB/9 | 3.24 | 3.53 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone outpaces Kevin Appier 47,099 to 34,391 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 vs 1,911 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).
Kevin Appier — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
David Cone — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Cone leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Kevin Appier owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Cone. PIV agrees: David Cone grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.