Harold Baines vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 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 Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harold Baines, with .820 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Dave Parker's 2,712.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Dave Parker's 1,493.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Dave Parker. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 9,358 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 1,272 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,712 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 339 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .289 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines edges Dave Parker 25,497 to 23,542 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Dave Parker's 20, while Dave Parker carries the higher per-season figure (1,177 to 944). 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
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Dave Parker owns stolen bases and batting average. 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 Dave Parker careers compare
From 1980 through 1991, Harold Baines and Dave Parker were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 27 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), and Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). On the bases, Dave Parker stole more often per game played (34 steals in 2,830 games for Harold Baines, 154 in 2,466 for Dave Parker). In slugging percentage, Dave Parker holds the edge, .471 to .465.
Harold Baines vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Dave Parker in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harold Baines, with .820 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Harold Baines's .289.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Dave Parker's 2,712.