Lance Berkman vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lance Berkman played 1999–2013 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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
Lance Berkman (1999–2013) and Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lance Berkman finished with 1,905 hits and 366 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Berkman, with 366 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Berkman, with .943 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lance Berkman, with .293 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Berkman, with 1,234 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Berkman, with 38,575 career PIV to Rickey Henderson's 37,642.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Lance Berkman's 1.
Lance Berkman
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Berkman and Rickey Henderson. 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 1990s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lance Berkman | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,879 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 6,491 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,146 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | 1,905 | Leads: 3,055 |
| Doubles | 422 | Leads: 510 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 366 | 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,234 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,201 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,300 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 86 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .419 |
| OPS | Leads: .943 | .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Berkman edges Rickey Henderson 38,575 to 37,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,411 PIV per season to 1,298 — rather than by longevity, since Lance Berkman played 16 seasons to Rickey Henderson's 29. 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).
Lance Berkman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Berkman leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Rickey Henderson owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Berkman. PIV agrees: Lance Berkman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lance Berkman and Rickey Henderson careers compare
Lance Berkman and Rickey Henderson were active at the same time between 1999 and 2003. Rickey Henderson has the far longer record, 3,081 games against 1,879 across 16 and 29 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Plate discipline differs: Lance Berkman struck out more than walked (1,300 to 1,201), but Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). Lance Berkman is the more power-leaning hitter, with 366 of 1,905 hits leaving the park. Rickey Henderson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Lance Berkman holds the edge, .406 to .401.
Lance Berkman vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Berkman or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Lance Berkman in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Berkman or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Lance Berkman, with 366 to Rickey Henderson's 297.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Berkman, with .943 to Rickey Henderson's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lance Berkman, with .293 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rickey Henderson, with 3,055 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.