David Cone vs Mike Mussina: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Mussina has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — 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; Mike Mussina put up 270 wins and 2,813 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 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Mike Mussina, with 3,562 to David Cone's 2,898.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Mussina, with 23 to David Cone's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Mussina, with 76,572 career Pitcher PIV to David Cone's 47,099.
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. 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 | Mike Mussina |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 270 |
| Losses | 126 | 153 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 537 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 536 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 57 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 23 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | Leads: 2,813 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 785 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 376 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | Leads: 3,562 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,254 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)
Mike Mussina — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Mussina leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while David Cone owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 9 of 12 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.