Heath Bell vs Francisco Cordero: Career Stats Comparison
Heath Bell (2004–2014) and Francisco Cordero (1999–2012) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Heath Bell compiled 38 wins and 637 strikeouts; Francisco Cordero put up 47 wins and 796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Francisco Cordero
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 | Heath Bell | Francisco Cordero |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 38 | 47 |
| Losses | 32 | 53 |
| Games | 590 | 800 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 168 | 329 |
| Strikeouts | 637 | 796 |
| Walks | 214 | 375 |
| Hits Allowed | 584 | 751 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 48 | 64 |
| Innings Pitched | 628 | 824 |
| ERA | 3.49 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | 1.37 |
| K/9 | 9.12 | 8.69 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | 4.09 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Heath Bell edges Francisco Cordero 16,481 to 15,835 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,498 vs 990 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).
Heath Bell — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Francisco Cordero — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Francisco Cordero leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Heath Bell owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Francisco Cordero. Note that PIV actually grades Heath Bell ahead, which means Francisco Cordero's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.