Lance Berkman vs Gary Sheffield: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Sheffield has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lance Berkman played 1999–2013 as a hitter; Gary Sheffield played 1988–2009 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 Gary Sheffield (1988–2009) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 1980s respectively and share 11 seasons. Lance Berkman finished with 1,905 hits and 366 home runs; Gary Sheffield finished with 2,689 hits and 509 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gary Sheffield, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Lance Berkman's 366.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Berkman, with .943 to Gary Sheffield's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lance Berkman, with .293 to Gary Sheffield's .292.
- Who had more hits? Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Sheffield, with 1,676 to Lance Berkman's 1,234.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Sheffield, with 44,001 career PIV to Lance Berkman's 38,575.
Lance Berkman
Gary Sheffield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Berkman and Gary Sheffield. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Gary Sheffield |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,879 | 2,576 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,491 | 9,217 |
| Runs | 1,146 | Leads: 1,636 |
| Hits | 1,905 | Leads: 2,689 |
| Doubles | 422 | Leads: 467 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 366 | Leads: 509 |
| RBI | 1,234 | Leads: 1,676 |
| Walks | 1,201 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,300 | 1,171 |
| Stolen Bases | 86 | Leads: 253 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .393 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .514 |
| OPS | Leads: .943 | .907 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Sheffield leads Lance Berkman 44,001 to 38,575 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gary Sheffield played 22 seasons to Lance Berkman's 15, while Lance Berkman carries the higher per-season figure (2,572 to 2,000). 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).
Lance Berkman — top 3 seasons by OPS
Gary Sheffield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Gary Sheffield leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Lance Berkman leads 5: triples, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Sheffield. PIV agrees: Gary Sheffield 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 Gary Sheffield careers compare
The careers of Lance Berkman (1999–2013) and Gary Sheffield (1988–2009) overlapped from 1999 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,879 games for Lance Berkman and 2,576 for Gary Sheffield across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Lance Berkman struck out more than walked (1,300 to 1,201), while Gary Sheffield walked more often than struck out (1,475 walks, 1,171 strikeouts). Gary Sheffield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Lance Berkman holds the edge, .537 to .514.
Lance Berkman vs Gary Sheffield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Berkman or Gary Sheffield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Sheffield leads Lance Berkman in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Lance Berkman or Gary Sheffield hit more home runs?
- Gary Sheffield, with 509 to Lance Berkman's 366.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Berkman, with .943 to Gary Sheffield's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lance Berkman, with .293 to Gary Sheffield's .292.
- Who had more hits?
- Gary Sheffield, with 2,689 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.