Buddy Bell vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines 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; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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 Tim Raines (1979–2002) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Raines, with .810 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.
- Who drove in more runs? Buddy Bell, with 1,106 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
- Who won more championships? Tim Raines, with 2 World Series titles to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Tim Raines. 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 | Buddy Bell | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 8,872 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 2,514 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 56 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 201 | 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,106 | 980 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .425 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines outpaces Buddy Bell 25,763 to 10,176 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,073 PIV per season to 509, across 24 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
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines 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 Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines 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 Tim Raines careers compare
The careers of Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) overlapped from 1979 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,405 games against 2,502 across 20 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buddy Bell comes out ahead, it is in at-bats (8,995 to 8,872), home runs (201 to 170), and RBI (1,106 to 980). Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts); Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts).
Buddy Bell vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Buddy Bell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Buddy Bell, with 201 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Raines, with .810 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.