Buddy Bell vs Ken Caminiti: Career Stats Comparison
Buddy Bell 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). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Ken Caminiti played 1987–2001 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 Ken Caminiti (1987–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Ken Caminiti finished with 1,710 hits and 239 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Caminiti, with 239 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Caminiti, with .794 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buddy Bell, with .279 to Ken Caminiti's .272.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Ken Caminiti's 1,710.
- Who drove in more runs? Buddy Bell, with 1,106 to Ken Caminiti's 983.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Caminiti, with 10,214 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
Buddy Bell
Ken Caminiti
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Ken Caminiti. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Buddy Bell | Ken Caminiti |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,405 | 1,760 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 6,288 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,151 | 894 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 1,710 |
| Doubles | Leads: 425 | 348 |
| Triples | Leads: 56 | 17 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 239 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,106 | 983 |
| Walks | Leads: 836 | 727 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,163 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 88 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .272 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .347 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .447 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Caminiti edges Buddy Bell 10,214 to 10,176 — driven by per-season impact — 638 PIV per season to 509 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Caminiti played 16 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
Ken Caminiti — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Caminiti leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Buddy Bell owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Caminiti. PIV agrees: Ken Caminiti 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 Ken Caminiti careers compare
From 1987 through 1989, Buddy Bell and Ken Caminiti were in the majors together. With 2,405 games against 1,760 across 20 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), but Ken Caminiti struck out more than walked (1,163 to 727). Ken Caminiti is the more power-leaning hitter, with 239 of 1,710 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Ken Caminiti holds the edge, .447 to .406. On the peak-season lists, Buddy Bell's best year is 1980 at .877 OPS and Ken Caminiti's is 1996 at 1.028 OPS; Ken Caminiti has the stronger single season.
Buddy Bell vs Ken Caminiti: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Ken Caminiti?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buddy Bell leads Ken Caminiti in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Ken Caminiti hit more home runs?
- Ken Caminiti, with 239 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Caminiti, with .794 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buddy Bell, with .279 to Ken Caminiti's .272.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Ken Caminiti's 1,710.