David Cone vs Shane Reynolds: Career Stats Comparison
David Cone has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Shane Reynolds played 1992–2004 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 Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 12 seasons. David Cone finished with 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Shane Reynolds finished with 114 wins and 1,403 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? David Cone, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? David Cone, with 3.46 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games? David Cone, with 194 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Cone, with 1.26 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.
- How many innings did each pitch? David Cone 2,898.2, Shane Reynolds 1,791.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Cone, with 22 to Shane Reynolds's 7.
David Cone
Shane Reynolds
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 | Shane Reynolds |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 194 | 114 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 450 | 305 |
| Games Started not scored | 419 | 278 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 22 | 7 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 1,403 |
| Walks not scored | 1,137 | 419 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,504 | 1,935 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 191 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,898.2 | 1,791.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 4.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 7.05 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone leads Shane Reynolds 47,099 to 37,791 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: David Cone played 17 seasons to Shane Reynolds's 13, while Shane Reynolds carries the higher per-season figure (2,907 to 2,771). 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)
Shane Reynolds — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
David Cone leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Shane Reynolds leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Cone. PIV agrees: David Cone 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 Shane Reynolds careers compare
The careers of David Cone (1986–2003) and Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) overlapped from 1992 to 2003, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 450 games for David Cone and 305 for Shane Reynolds across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Shane Reynolds comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (2.10 to 3.53). The per-nine rows read 8.28 strikeouts and 3.53 walks for David Cone, 7.05 and 2.10 for Shane Reynolds. David Cone was mainly a starter (419 starts in 450 games), and Shane Reynolds was mainly a starter (278 starts in 305 games).
David Cone vs Shane Reynolds: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Shane Reynolds?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Cone leads Shane Reynolds in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games?
- David Cone, with 194 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Cone, with 1.26 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.