John Axford vs. David Cone — Career Comparison

David Cone built a career as a starting pitcher and John Axford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. David Cone led in run prevention (ERA+ 111 vs 89), strikeout rate (K%+ 126 vs 110), and home run suppression (HR9+ 106 vs 93). Role difference aside, David Cone holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.