Cliff Lee vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
Javier Vazquez has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — 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.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Javier Vazquez, with 2,840 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Javier Vazquez's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Javier Vazquez's 36,249.
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. 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 | Cliff Lee | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 165 |
| Losses | 91 | 160 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 450 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 443 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 28 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 2,536 |
| Walks | 464 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | Leads: 2,840 |
| 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 — 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.
Related Matchups
Cliff Lee vs Javier Vazquez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Javier Vazquez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Javier Vazquez leads Cliff Lee in 6 of 11 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.