Harold Baines vs Scott Rolen: 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; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 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 Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Scott Rolen, with .855 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Scott Rolen's 20,867.
- Who won more championships? Scott Rolen, with 1 World Series title to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Scott Rolen. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | 34 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .364 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines leads Scott Rolen 25,497 to 20,867 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Scott Rolen's 19, while Scott Rolen carries the higher per-season figure (1,098 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Scott Rolen owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
From 1996 through 2001, Harold Baines and Scott Rolen were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,038 for Scott Rolen across 27 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062); Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). On the bases, Scott Rolen stole more often per game played (34 steals in 2,830 games for Harold Baines, 118 in 2,038 for Scott Rolen). Scott Rolen's on-base percentage of .364 tops Harold Baines's .356.
Harold Baines vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Scott Rolen in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Scott Rolen, with .855 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.