Cliff Lee vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cliff Lee compiled 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Javier Vazquez put up 165 wins and 2,536 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Javier Vazquez
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 | Cliff Lee | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | 165 |
| Losses | 91 | 160 |
| Games | 328 | 450 |
| Games Started | 324 | 443 |
| Complete Games | 29 | 28 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | 2,536 |
| Walks | 464 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | 2,840 |
| ERA | 3.52 | 4.22 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | 8.04 |
| BB/9 | 1.94 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Javier Vazquez 41,719 to 36,249 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 2,589 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).
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Javier Vazquez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Javier Vazquez leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Cliff Lee owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Javier Vazquez. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Javier Vazquez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.