David Cone vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 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 Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Tom Glavine put up 305 wins and 2,607 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 Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Cone, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413 to David Cone's 2,898.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to David Cone's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Cone, with 47,099 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
David Cone
Tom Glavine
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | David Cone | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 305 |
| Losses | 126 | 203 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 682 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 682 |
| Complete Games | 56 | 56 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 2,607 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | Leads: 4,413 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 3.06 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone leads Tom Glavine 47,099 to 40,421 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 vs 1,837 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).
David Cone — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Glavine — 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 Tom Glavine 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
David Cone vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads David Cone in 6 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Cone, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.