Cliff Lee vs Jason Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Jason Schmidt played 1995–2009 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
Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Jason Schmidt (1995–2009) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Jason Schmidt finished with 130 wins and 1,758 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Jason Schmidt's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Cliff Lee, with 143 to Jason Schmidt's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Jason Schmidt's 1,758.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Jason Schmidt's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Cliff Lee, with 2,156.2 to Jason Schmidt's 1,996.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Jason Schmidt's 9.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Jason Schmidt's 34,873.
Cliff Lee
Jason Schmidt
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Jason Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 143 | 130 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 328 | 323 |
| Games Started | Leads: 324 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 9 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,824 | 1,758 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 792 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 1,846 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 184 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,156.2 | 1,996.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.52 | 3.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 7.93 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 3.57 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Jason Schmidt 41,719 to 34,873 — driven by per-season impact — 2,781 PIV per season to 2,180 — rather than by longevity, since Cliff Lee played 15 seasons to Jason Schmidt's 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jason Schmidt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cliff Lee leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jason Schmidt owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cliff Lee. PIV agrees: Cliff Lee grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cliff Lee and Jason Schmidt careers compare
Cliff Lee and Jason Schmidt were active at the same time between 2002 and 2009. With 328 games against 323 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jason Schmidt's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (7.93 to 7.61). By rate, Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94 per nine innings; Jason Schmidt struck out 7.93 and walked 3.57. Both had the same role: Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games); Jason Schmidt was mainly a starter (314 starts in 323 games). In WHIP, Cliff Lee's 1.20 beats Jason Schmidt's 1.32.
Cliff Lee vs Jason Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Jason Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cliff Lee leads Jason Schmidt in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Jason Schmidt's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Cliff Lee, with 143 to Jason Schmidt's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Jason Schmidt's 1,758.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Jason Schmidt's 1.32.