David Cone vs Pedro Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Pedro Martinez has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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 Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Pedro Martinez put up 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to David Cone's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? David Cone, with 2,898 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Cone, with 22 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to David Cone's 47,099.
David Cone
Pedro Martinez
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 | Pedro Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 219 |
| Losses | 126 | 100 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 476 |
| Games Started | Leads: 419 | 409 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 46 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 22 | 17 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | Leads: 3,154 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 760 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 2,221 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,898 | 2,827 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces David Cone 113,314 to 47,099 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,295 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)
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while David Cone owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
David Cone vs Pedro Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Pedro Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pedro Martinez leads David Cone in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to David Cone's 1.26.