Home Run Baker vs Zack Wheat: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheat has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Home Run Baker played 1908–1922 as a hitter; Zack Wheat played 1909–1927 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
Home Run Baker (1908–1922) and Zack Wheat (1909–1927) — both broke in during the 1900s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Home Run Baker finished with 1,838 hits and 96 home runs; Zack Wheat finished with 2,884 hits and 132 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Zack Wheat, with 132 to Home Run Baker's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Zack Wheat, with .817 to Home Run Baker's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average? Zack Wheat, with .317 to Home Run Baker's .307.
- Who had more hits? Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Home Run Baker's 1,838.
- Who drove in more runs? Zack Wheat, with 1,248 to Home Run Baker's 987.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Zack Wheat, with 30,370 career PIV to Home Run Baker's 22,634.
- Who won more championships? Home Run Baker, with 3 World Series titles to Zack Wheat's 0.
Home Run Baker
Zack Wheat
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Home Run Baker and Zack Wheat. 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 | Home Run Baker | Zack Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,575 | Leads: 2,410 |
| At-Bats | 5,984 | Leads: 9,106 |
| Runs | 887 | Leads: 1,289 |
| Hits | 1,838 | Leads: 2,884 |
| Doubles | 315 | Leads: 476 |
| Triples | 103 | Leads: 172 |
| Home Runs | 96 | Leads: 132 |
| RBI | 987 | Leads: 1,248 |
| Walks | 473 | Leads: 650 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 344 | 572 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 235 | 205 |
| Batting Avg | .307 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .367 |
| Slugging % | .442 | Leads: .450 |
| OPS | .805 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheat outpaces Home Run Baker 30,370 to 22,634 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Wheat played 19 seasons to Home Run Baker's 13, while Home Run Baker carries the higher per-season figure (1,741 to 1,598). 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).
Home Run Baker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Zack Wheat — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheat leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Home Run Baker owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheat. PIV agrees: Zack Wheat grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Home Run Baker and Zack Wheat careers compare
From 1909 through 1922, Home Run Baker and Zack Wheat were in the majors together. Zack Wheat has the far longer record, 2,410 games against 1,575 across 13 and 19 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Home Run Baker's edges on the table are stolen bases (235 to 205). At the plate, Home Run Baker walked more often than struck out (473 walks, 344 strikeouts), and Zack Wheat walked more often than struck out (650 walks, 572 strikeouts). Home Run Baker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Zack Wheat holds the edge, .450 to .442.
Home Run Baker vs Zack Wheat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Home Run Baker or Zack Wheat?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheat leads Home Run Baker in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Home Run Baker or Zack Wheat hit more home runs?
- Zack Wheat, with 132 to Home Run Baker's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Zack Wheat, with .817 to Home Run Baker's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Zack Wheat, with .317 to Home Run Baker's .307.
- Who had more hits?
- Zack Wheat, with 2,884 to Home Run Baker's 1,838.