David Cone vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz 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; John Smoltz 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 John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to David Cone's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473 to David Cone's 2,898.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Cone, with 22 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to David Cone's 47,099.
David Cone
John Smoltz
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 | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses | 126 | 155 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 22 | 16 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | Leads: 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces David Cone 91,907 to 47,099 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 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)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while David Cone owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Smoltz. PIV agrees: John Smoltz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
David Cone vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads David Cone in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to David Cone's 2,668.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to David Cone's 1.26.