Lance Berkman vs Carlos Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Berkman 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; Carlos Lee played 1999–2012 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
Lance Berkman (1999–2013) and Carlos Lee (1999–2012) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lance Berkman finished with 1,905 hits and 366 home runs; Carlos Lee finished with 2,273 hits and 358 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 Carlos Lee's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Berkman, with .943 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lance Berkman, with .293 to Carlos Lee's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Lee, with 1,363 to Lance Berkman's 1,234.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Berkman, with 38,575 career PIV to Carlos Lee's 13,870.
- Who won more championships? Lance Berkman, with 1 World Series title to Carlos Lee's 0.
Lance Berkman
Carlos Lee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. 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 | Lance Berkman | Carlos Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,879 | Leads: 2,099 |
| At-Bats | 6,491 | Leads: 7,983 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,146 | 1,125 |
| Hits | 1,905 | Leads: 2,273 |
| Doubles | 422 | Leads: 469 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 19 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 366 | 358 |
| RBI | 1,234 | Leads: 1,363 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,201 | 655 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,300 | 984 |
| Stolen Bases | 86 | Leads: 125 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .483 |
| OPS | Leads: .943 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Berkman outpaces Carlos Lee 38,575 to 13,870 — driven by per-season impact — 2,411 PIV per season to 867 — rather than by longevity, since Lance Berkman played 16 seasons to Carlos Lee's 16. 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
Carlos Lee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Berkman leads in home runs, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Carlos Lee owns hits, RBI, 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 Carlos Lee careers compare
Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee were active at the same time between 1999 and 2012. With 1,879 games against 2,099 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lance Berkman struck out more than walked (1,300 to 1,201); Carlos Lee struck out more than walked (984 to 655). Carlos Lee was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lance Berkman's on-base percentage of .406 tops Carlos Lee's .339. On the peak-season lists, Lance Berkman's best year is 2001 at 1.051 OPS and Carlos Lee's is 2008 at .937 OPS; Lance Berkman has the stronger single season.
Lance Berkman vs Carlos Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Berkman or Carlos Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Berkman leads Carlos Lee in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Berkman or Carlos Lee hit more home runs?
- Lance Berkman, with 366 to Carlos Lee's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Berkman, with .943 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lance Berkman, with .293 to Carlos Lee's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.