David Cone vs Chuck Finley: Career Stats Comparison
David Cone has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Chuck Finley played 1986–2002 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
David Cone (1986–2003) and Chuck Finley (1986–2002) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone finished with 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Chuck Finley finished with 200 wins and 2,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Cone, with 3.46 to Chuck Finley's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Chuck Finley, with 200 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Chuck Finley's 2,610.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Cone, with 1.26 to Chuck Finley's 1.38.
- Who pitched more innings? Chuck Finley, with 3,197.1 to David Cone's 2,898.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Cone, with 22 to Chuck Finley's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Cone, with 47,099 career Pitcher PIV to Chuck Finley's 27,776.
David Cone
Chuck Finley
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | David Cone | Chuck Finley |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 173 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 524 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 467 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 63 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 22 | 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 2,610 |
| Walks not scored | 1,137 | 1,332 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,504 | 3,069 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 304 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898.2 | Leads: 3,197.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.38 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 7.35 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.53 | 3.75 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone outpaces Chuck Finley 47,099 to 27,776 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,479 PIV per season to 1,543, across 19 seasons to 18. 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).
David Cone — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Chuck Finley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Cone leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Chuck Finley owns wins and innings pitched. 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.
Related Matchups
How the David Cone and Chuck Finley careers compare
David Cone and Chuck Finley were active at the same time between 1986 and 2002. With 450 games against 524 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 8.28 strikeouts and 3.53 walks for David Cone, 7.35 and 3.75 for Chuck Finley. Both had the same role: David Cone was mainly a starter (419 starts in 450 games); Chuck Finley was mainly a starter (467 starts in 524 games). David Cone allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.26 WHIP to Chuck Finley's 1.38.
David Cone vs Chuck Finley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Chuck Finley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Cone leads Chuck Finley in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Chuck Finley's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Chuck Finley, with 200 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Chuck Finley's 2,610.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Cone, with 1.26 to Chuck Finley's 1.38.