Harold Baines vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — 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; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Harold Baines's 384.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Harold Baines's 2,866.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Harold Baines's 1,628.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Harold Baines's 25,497.
Harold Baines
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,830 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 9,908 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,299 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,866 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 384 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,628 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,062 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .288 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Harold Baines 42,814 to 25,497 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 944 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Harold Baines's 27. 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Harold Baines owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Harold Baines and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1986 and 2001. With 2,830 games against 2,831 across 27 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Harold Baines are triples (49 to 38) and batting average (.289 to .288). At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Rafael Palmeiro is the more power-leaning hitter, with 569 of 3,020 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Rafael Palmeiro holds the edge, .515 to .465.
Harold Baines vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Harold Baines in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Harold Baines's 384.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Harold Baines's 2,866.