Cliff Lee vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Javier Vazquez played 1998–2011 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 Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 1990s respectively and share 10 seasons. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Javier Vazquez finished with 165 wins and 2,536 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Cliff Lee, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Javier Vazquez's 4.22.
- Who won more games? Javier Vazquez, with 165 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Javier Vazquez, with 2,536 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Javier Vazquez's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Cliff Lee 2,156.2, Javier Vazquez 2,840.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Javier Vazquez's 8.
Cliff Lee
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. 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 | Cliff Lee | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 165 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 160 |
| Games not scored | 328 | 450 |
| Games Started not scored | 324 | 443 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 28 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 8 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 2,536 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,156.2 | 2,840.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.52 | 4.22 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 8.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Javier Vazquez 41,719 to 36,249 — driven by per-season impact — 3,209 PIV per season to 2,589 — rather than by longevity, since Cliff Lee played 13 seasons to Javier Vazquez's 14. 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
Cliff Lee leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Javier Vazquez leads 3: wins, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine. 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 Javier Vazquez careers compare
The careers of Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) overlapped from 2002 to 2011, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 328 games for Cliff Lee and 450 for Javier Vazquez across 13 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Javier Vazquez comes out ahead, it is in wins (165 to 143), strikeouts (2,536 to 1,824), and strikeouts per nine (8.04 to 7.61). The per-nine rows read 7.61 strikeouts and 1.94 walks for Cliff Lee, 8.04 and 2.42 for Javier Vazquez.
Cliff Lee vs Javier Vazquez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Javier Vazquez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cliff Lee leads Javier Vazquez in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Javier Vazquez's 4.22.
- Who won more games?
- Javier Vazquez, with 165 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Javier Vazquez, with 2,536 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Javier Vazquez's 1.25.