David Cone vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
David Cone and Orel Hershiser are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 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 Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — both debuted in the 1980s. David Cone finished with 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? David Cone, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? David Cone 2,898.2, Orel Hershiser 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to David Cone's 22.
David Cone
Orel Hershiser
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 204 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 150 |
| Games not scored | 450 | 510 |
| Games Started not scored | 419 | 466 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 68 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 2,014 |
| Walks not scored | 1,137 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,504 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,898.2 | 3,130.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.90 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone leads Orel Hershiser 47,099 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 2,771 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since David Cone played 17 seasons to Orel Hershiser's 18. 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)
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
David Cone and Orel Hershiser split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades David Cone higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Cone and Orel Hershiser careers compare
The careers of David Cone (1986–2003) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) overlapped from 1986 to 2000, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 450 games for David Cone and 510 for Orel Hershiser across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Orel Hershiser's edges on the table are wins (204 to 194), complete games (68 to 56), and shutouts (25 to 22). By rate, David Cone struck out 8.28 and walked 3.53 per nine innings; Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90.
David Cone vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Orel Hershiser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.26.