David Cone vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
David Cone (1986–2003) and Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela put up 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
David Cone
Fernando Valenzuela
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | David Cone | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | 173 |
| Losses | 126 | 153 |
| Games | 450 | 453 |
| Games Started | 419 | 424 |
| Complete Games | 56 | 113 |
| Shutouts | 22 | 31 |
| Saves | 1 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,668 | 2,074 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | 2,930 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | 6.37 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone outpaces Fernando Valenzuela 47,099 to 30,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 vs 1,672 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)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Cone leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Fernando Valenzuela owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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.