Harold Baines vs Graig Nettles: 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; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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 Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Harold Baines's 384.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harold Baines, with .820 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Graig Nettles. 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, and the 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 384 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,062 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 34 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .465 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines outpaces Graig Nettles 25,497 to 12,470 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 944 PIV per season to 567, across 27 seasons to 22. 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
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Graig Nettles owns home runs. 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 Graig Nettles careers compare
Harold Baines and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1980 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 27 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Graig Nettles are home runs (390 to 384) and walks (1,088 to 1,062). Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park. Harold Baines's slugging percentage of .465 tops Graig Nettles's .421.
Harold Baines vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Graig Nettles in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Harold Baines's 384.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harold Baines, with .820 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.