Buddy Bell vs Lou Brock: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Lou Brock played 1961–1979 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
Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Lou Brock (1961–1979) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Buddy Bell, with 201 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Brock, with .753 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.
- Who drove in more runs? Buddy Bell, with 1,106 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Brock, with 18,115 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Lou Brock. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Buddy Bell | Lou Brock |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 2,616 |
| At-Bats | 8,995 | Leads: 10,332 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Hits | 2,514 | Leads: 3,023 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 486 |
| Triples | 56 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 201 | 149 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,106 | 900 |
| Walks | Leads: 836 | 761 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,730 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 938 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .293 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .343 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .410 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Brock outpaces Buddy Bell 18,115 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 906 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Brock played 20 seasons to Buddy Bell's 20. 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).
Buddy Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Brock leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Buddy Bell owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Brock. PIV agrees: Lou Brock grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buddy Bell and Lou Brock careers compare
From 1972 through 1979, Buddy Bell and Lou Brock were in the majors together. With 2,405 games against 2,616 across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Buddy Bell are home runs (201 to 149), RBI (1,106 to 900), and walks (836 to 761). At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761). Buddy Bell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 201 of 2,514 hits leaving the park. Lou Brock was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Buddy Bell vs Lou Brock: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Lou Brock?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Buddy Bell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Lou Brock hit more home runs?
- Buddy Bell, with 201 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Brock, with .753 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.