Harold Baines vs George Bell: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; George Bell played 1981–1993 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Harold Baines (1980–2001) and George Bell (1981–1993) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; George Bell finished with 1,702 hits and 265 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harold Baines, with 384 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harold Baines, with .820 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to George Bell's 1,702.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to George Bell's 1,002.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to George Bell's 10,532.
Harold Baines
George Bell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and George Bell. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. 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 | Harold Baines | George Bell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 1,587 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 6,123 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 814 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 1,702 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 308 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 34 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 265 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,002 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 331 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 771 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 67 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .278 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .316 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .469 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines outpaces George Bell 25,497 to 10,532 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 944 PIV per season to 878, across 27 seasons to 12. 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 OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Harold Baines — top 3 seasons by OPS
George Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Bell owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harold Baines. PIV agrees: Harold Baines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harold Baines and George Bell careers compare
The careers of Harold Baines (1980–2001) and George Bell (1981–1993) overlapped from 1981 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 2,830 games of Harold Baines with 1,587 of George Bell across 27 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for George Bell are stolen bases (67 to 34) and slugging percentage (.469 to .465). Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062); George Bell struck out more than walked (771 to 331).
Harold Baines vs George Bell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or George Bell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads George Bell in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or George Bell hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harold Baines, with .820 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to George Bell's 1,702.