David Cone vs Mike Mussina: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Mussina has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Mike Mussina played 1991–2008 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 Mike Mussina (1991–2008) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 13 seasons. David Cone finished with 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Mike Mussina finished with 270 wins and 2,813 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Mike Mussina, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? David Cone, with 3.46 to Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games? Mike Mussina, with 270 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mike Mussina, with 2,813 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mike Mussina, with 1.19 to David Cone's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? David Cone 2,898.2, Mike Mussina 3,562.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Mussina, with 23 to David Cone's 22.
David Cone
Mike Mussina
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 | Mike Mussina |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 270 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 153 |
| Games not scored | 450 | 537 |
| Games Started not scored | 419 | 536 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 57 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 23 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | Leads: 2,813 |
| Walks not scored | 1,137 | 785 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,504 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 376 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,898.2 | 3,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.68 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 7.11 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 1.98 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Mussina outpaces David Cone 76,572 to 47,099 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,254 PIV per season to 2,771, across 18 seasons to 17. 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)
Mike Mussina — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Mike Mussina leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. David Cone leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Mussina. PIV agrees: Mike Mussina 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 Mike Mussina careers compare
From 1991 through 2003, David Cone and Mike Mussina were in the majors together. With 450 games against 537 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for David Cone are ERA (3.46 to 3.68) and strikeouts per nine (8.28 to 7.11). By rate, David Cone struck out 8.28 and walked 3.53 per nine innings; Mike Mussina struck out 7.11 and walked 1.98. Both had the same role: David Cone was mainly a starter (419 starts in 450 games); Mike Mussina was mainly a starter (536 starts in 537 games). In WHIP, Mike Mussina's 1.19 beats David Cone's 1.26.
David Cone vs Mike Mussina: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Mike Mussina?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Mussina leads David Cone in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games?
- Mike Mussina, with 270 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mike Mussina, with 2,813 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mike Mussina, with 1.19 to David Cone's 1.26.