Buddy Bell vs Matt Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Buddy Bell has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Matt Williams played 1987–2003 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 Matt Williams (1987–2003) — 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; Matt Williams finished with 1,878 hits and 378 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Williams, with 378 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Williams, with .805 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buddy Bell, with .279 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Matt Williams's 1,878.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Williams, with 1,218 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buddy Bell, with 10,176 career PIV to Matt Williams's 9,982.
- Who won more championships? Matt Williams, with 1 World Series title to Buddy Bell's 0.
Buddy Bell
Matt Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell and Matt Williams. 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 | Matt Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,405 | 1,866 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 7,000 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,151 | 997 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 1,878 |
| Doubles | Leads: 425 | 338 |
| Triples | Leads: 56 | 35 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 378 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 836 | 469 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 1,363 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 55 | 53 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .341 | .317 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buddy Bell edges Matt Williams 10,176 to 9,982 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Buddy Bell played 20 seasons to Matt Williams's 17, while Matt Williams carries the higher per-season figure (587 to 509). 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
Matt Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Buddy Bell leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Matt Williams owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Buddy Bell. PIV agrees: Buddy Bell 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 Matt Williams careers compare
Buddy Bell and Matt Williams were active at the same time between 1987 and 1989. With 2,405 games against 1,866 across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Matt Williams are home runs (378 to 201), RBI (1,218 to 1,106), and slugging percentage (.489 to .406). At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), while Matt Williams struck out more than walked (1,363 to 469). Matt Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 378 of 1,878 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Matt Williams holds the edge, .489 to .406.
Buddy Bell vs Matt Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Matt Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buddy Bell leads Matt Williams in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Matt Williams hit more home runs?
- Matt Williams, with 378 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Williams, with .805 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buddy Bell, with .279 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Matt Williams's 1,878.