Buddy Bell vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — 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; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.
- Who drove in more runs? Pete Rose, with 1,314 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Pete Rose. 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 | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 8,995 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,151 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,514 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 56 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 201 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 55 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .409 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Buddy Bell 40,772 to 10,176 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 509, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buddy Bell owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
The careers of Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) overlapped from 1972 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,405 games against 3,562 across 20 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Buddy Bell's edges on the table are home runs (201 to 160). Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Buddy Bell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 201 of 2,514 hits leaving the park.
Buddy Bell vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Buddy Bell in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Buddy Bell, with 201 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Buddy Bell's 2,514.