Buddy Bell vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff 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; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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 Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — 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; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Fred McGriff's 2,490.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
- Who won more championships? Fred McGriff, with 1 World Series title to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Fred McGriff. 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 | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 2,460 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 2,490 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 56 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Buddy Bell 37,233 to 10,176 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 509, across 21 seasons to 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
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buddy Bell owns hits. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff 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 Fred McGriff careers compare
From 1986 through 1989, Buddy Bell and Fred McGriff were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,405 games for Buddy Bell and 2,460 for Fred McGriff across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Buddy Bell comes out ahead, it is in at-bats (8,995 to 8,757), hits (2,514 to 2,490), and triples (56 to 24). At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). Fred McGriff is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,490 hits leaving the park.
Buddy Bell vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Buddy Bell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Fred McGriff's 2,490.