George Bell vs Jose Canseco: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Canseco has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Jose Canseco played 1985–2001 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 Jose Canseco (1985–2001) — 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; Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jose Canseco, with 462 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Bell, with .278 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Jose Canseco, with 1,877 to George Bell's 1,702.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to George Bell's 1,002.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to George Bell's 10,532.
- Who won more championships? Jose Canseco, with 2 World Series titles to George Bell's 0.
George Bell
Jose Canseco
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Bell and Jose Canseco. 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 | Jose Canseco |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,587 | Leads: 1,887 |
| At-Bats | 6,123 | Leads: 7,057 |
| Runs | 814 | Leads: 1,186 |
| Hits | 1,702 | Leads: 1,877 |
| Doubles | 308 | Leads: 340 |
| Triples | Leads: 34 | 14 |
| Home Runs | 265 | Leads: 462 |
| RBI | 1,002 | Leads: 1,407 |
| Walks | 331 | Leads: 906 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 771 | 1,942 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 200 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .278 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .316 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco outpaces George Bell 24,754 to 10,532 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,303 PIV per season to 878, across 19 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
Jose Canseco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while George Bell owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Canseco. PIV agrees: Jose Canseco 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 Jose Canseco careers compare
From 1985 through 1993, George Bell and Jose Canseco were in the majors together. With 1,587 games against 1,887 across 12 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where George Bell comes out ahead, it is in triples (34 to 14) and batting average (.278 to .266). George Bell struck out more than walked (771 to 331); Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906). Jose Canseco is the more power-leaning hitter, with 462 of 1,877 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jose Canseco stole more often per game played (67 steals in 1,587 games for George Bell, 200 in 1,887 for Jose Canseco).
George Bell vs Jose Canseco: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Bell or Jose Canseco?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Canseco leads George Bell in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Bell or Jose Canseco hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to George Bell's 265.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to George Bell's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Bell, with .278 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Jose Canseco, with 1,877 to George Bell's 1,702.