Lance Berkman vs Magglio Ordonez: 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; Magglio Ordonez played 1997–2011 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 Magglio Ordonez (1997–2011) — 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; Magglio Ordonez finished with 2,156 hits and 294 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 Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Berkman, with .943 to Magglio Ordonez's .871.
- Who had the higher batting average? Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Lance Berkman's .293.
- Who had more hits? Magglio Ordonez, with 2,156 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.
- Who drove in more runs? Magglio Ordonez, with 1,236 to Lance Berkman's 1,234.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Berkman, with 38,575 career PIV to Magglio Ordonez's 22,173.
- Who won more championships? Lance Berkman, with 1 World Series title to Magglio Ordonez's 0.
Lance Berkman
Magglio Ordonez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Berkman and Magglio Ordonez. 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 | Magglio Ordonez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,879 | 1,848 |
| At-Bats | 6,491 | Leads: 6,978 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,146 | 1,076 |
| Hits | 1,905 | Leads: 2,156 |
| Doubles | 422 | Leads: 426 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 366 | 294 |
| RBI | 1,234 | Leads: 1,236 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,201 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,300 | 852 |
| Stolen Bases | 86 | Leads: 94 |
| Batting Avg | .293 | Leads: .309 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .369 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .943 | .871 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Berkman outpaces Magglio Ordonez 38,575 to 22,173 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,411 PIV per season to 1,478, across 16 seasons to 15. 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
Magglio Ordonez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Berkman leads in home runs, runs, OBP, and OPS, while Magglio Ordonez 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 Magglio Ordonez careers compare
From 1999 through 2011, Lance Berkman and Magglio Ordonez were in the majors together. With 1,879 games against 1,848 across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lance Berkman struck out more than walked (1,300 to 1,201); Magglio Ordonez struck out more than walked (852 to 651). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Berkman's hits: 366 of 1,905 for Lance Berkman, 294 of 2,156 for Magglio Ordonez. Lance Berkman owns the better peak by OPS: 1.051 OPS in 2001 for Lance Berkman against 1.029 OPS in 2007 for Magglio Ordonez.
Lance Berkman vs Magglio Ordonez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Berkman or Magglio Ordonez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Berkman leads Magglio Ordonez in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Berkman or Magglio Ordonez hit more home runs?
- Lance Berkman, with 366 to Magglio Ordonez's 294.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Berkman, with .943 to Magglio Ordonez's .871.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Magglio Ordonez, with .309 to Lance Berkman's .293.
- Who had more hits?
- Magglio Ordonez, with 2,156 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.