Albert Belle vs Ellis Burks: Career Stats Comparison
Ellis Burks has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Albert Belle played 1989–2000 as a hitter; Ellis Burks played 1987–2004 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
Albert Belle (1989–2000) and Ellis Burks (1987–2004) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Albert Belle finished with 1,726 hits and 381 home runs; Ellis Burks finished with 2,107 hits and 352 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Belle, with 381 to Ellis Burks's 352.
- Who had the higher OPS? Albert Belle, with .933 to Ellis Burks's .874.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Belle, with .295 to Ellis Burks's .291.
- Who had more hits? Ellis Burks, with 2,107 to Albert Belle's 1,726.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Belle, with 1,239 to Ellis Burks's 1,206.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Belle, with 29,356 career PIV to Ellis Burks's 25,806.
- Who won more championships? Ellis Burks, with 1 World Series title to Albert Belle's 0.
Albert Belle
Ellis Burks
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Albert Belle and Ellis Burks. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Albert Belle | Ellis Burks |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,539 | Leads: 2,000 |
| At-Bats | 5,853 | Leads: 7,232 |
| Runs | 974 | Leads: 1,253 |
| Hits | 1,726 | Leads: 2,107 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 402 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 63 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 381 | 352 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,239 | 1,206 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 793 |
| Strikeouts | 961 | 1,340 |
| Stolen Bases | 88 | Leads: 181 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .291 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .363 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .564 | .510 |
| OPS | Leads: .933 | .874 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Belle leads Ellis Burks 29,356 to 25,806 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,446 vs 1,358 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Albert Belle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ellis Burks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Belle leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Ellis Burks owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Albert Belle. PIV agrees: Albert Belle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Albert Belle vs Ellis Burks: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Albert Belle or Ellis Burks?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ellis Burks leads Albert Belle in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Albert Belle or Ellis Burks hit more home runs?
- Albert Belle, with 381 to Ellis Burks's 352.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Albert Belle, with .933 to Ellis Burks's .874.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Belle, with .295 to Ellis Burks's .291.
- Who had more hits?
- Ellis Burks, with 2,107 to Albert Belle's 1,726.