David Cone vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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 Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Randy Johnson put up 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Randy Johnson, with 303 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to David Cone's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Randy Johnson, with 4,135 to David Cone's 2,898.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to David Cone's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to David Cone's 47,099.
David Cone
Randy Johnson
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 | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 303 |
| Losses | 126 | 166 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 618 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 603 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 100 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | Leads: 4,135 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 3.26 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces David Cone 122,530 to 47,099 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,105 vs 2,479 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)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Randy Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while David Cone owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
David Cone vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads David Cone in 12 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Randy Johnson, with 303 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to David Cone's 1.26.