Albert Belle vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Albert Belle played 1989–2000 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Albert Belle finished with 1,726 hits and 381 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Albert Belle's 381.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Albert Belle's .933.
- Who had the higher batting average? Albert Belle, with .295 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Albert Belle's 1,726.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Albert Belle's 1,239.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Albert Belle's 29,356.
Albert Belle
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Albert Belle and Jim Thome. 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Albert Belle | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,539 | Leads: 2,543 |
| At-Bats | 5,853 | Leads: 8,422 |
| Runs | 974 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 1,726 | Leads: 2,328 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 26 |
| Home Runs | 381 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,239 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 961 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 88 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .564 | .554 |
| OPS | .933 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Albert Belle 51,664 to 29,356 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Thome played 25 seasons to Albert Belle's 12, while Albert Belle carries the higher per-season figure (2,446 to 2,067). 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).
Albert Belle — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Albert Belle owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Albert Belle and Jim Thome careers compare
Albert Belle and Jim Thome were active at the same time between 1991 and 2000. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Albert Belle appeared in 1,539 games to Jim Thome's 2,543. Where Albert Belle comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (88 to 19), batting average (.295 to .276), and slugging percentage (.564 to .554). At the plate, Albert Belle struck out more than walked (961 to 683), and Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Best seasons: 1994 for Albert Belle (1.152 OPS, 36 HR, 101 RBI, .357 avg) and 2002 for Jim Thome (1.122 OPS, 52 HR, 118 RBI, .304 avg).
Albert Belle vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Albert Belle or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Albert Belle in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Albert Belle or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Albert Belle's 381.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Albert Belle's .933.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Albert Belle, with .295 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Albert Belle's 1,726.