George Bell vs Barry Bonds: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Bonds has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Bell played 1981–1993 as a hitter; Barry Bonds played 1986–2007 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
George Bell (1981–1993) and Barry Bonds (1986–2007) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Bell finished with 1,702 hits and 265 home runs; Barry Bonds finished with 2,935 hits and 762 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Barry Bonds, with 762 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Bonds, with .298 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits? Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to George Bell's 1,702.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Bonds, with 1,996 to George Bell's 1,002.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Bonds, with 96,025 career PIV to George Bell's 10,532.
George Bell
Barry Bonds
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Bell and Barry Bonds. 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 | George Bell | Barry Bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,587 | Leads: 2,986 |
| At-Bats | 6,123 | Leads: 9,847 |
| Runs | 814 | Leads: 2,227 |
| Hits | 1,702 | Leads: 2,935 |
| Doubles | 308 | Leads: 601 |
| Triples | 34 | Leads: 77 |
| Home Runs | 265 | Leads: 762 |
| RBI | 1,002 | Leads: 1,996 |
| Walks | 331 | Leads: 2,558 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 771 | 1,539 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 514 |
| Batting Avg | .278 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .316 | Leads: .444 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .607 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: 1.051 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Bonds outpaces George Bell 96,025 to 10,532 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,365 PIV per season to 878, across 22 seasons to 12. 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).
George Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Barry Bonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Bonds leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Bell owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Bonds. PIV agrees: Barry Bonds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Bell and Barry Bonds careers compare
George Bell and Barry Bonds were active at the same time between 1986 and 1993. The table compares 1,587 games of George Bell with 2,986 of Barry Bonds across 12 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Barry Bonds leads every scored row of the table. Plate discipline differs: George Bell struck out more than walked (771 to 331), but Barry Bonds walked more often than struck out (2,558 walks, 1,539 strikeouts). Barry Bonds is the more power-leaning hitter, with 762 of 2,935 hits leaving the park. Barry Bonds was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Barry Bonds's slugging percentage of .607 tops George Bell's .469.
George Bell vs Barry Bonds: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Bell or Barry Bonds?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Bonds leads George Bell in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Bell or Barry Bonds hit more home runs?
- Barry Bonds, with 762 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Bonds, with 1.051 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Bonds, with .298 to George Bell's .278.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Bonds, with 2,935 to George Bell's 1,702.