Lance Berkman vs Bernie Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Bernie Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Bernie Williams played 1991–2006 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 Bernie Williams (1991–2006) — 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; Bernie Williams finished with 2,336 hits and 287 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 Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Berkman, with .943 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bernie Williams, with .297 to Lance Berkman's .293.
- Who had more hits? Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.
- Who drove in more runs? Bernie Williams, with 1,257 to Lance Berkman's 1,234.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Berkman, with 38,575 career PIV to Bernie Williams's 24,401.
- Who won more championships? Bernie Williams, with 4 World Series titles to Lance Berkman's 1.
Lance Berkman
Bernie Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Berkman and Bernie Williams. 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 | Bernie Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,879 | Leads: 2,076 |
| At-Bats | 6,491 | Leads: 7,869 |
| Runs | 1,146 | Leads: 1,366 |
| Hits | 1,905 | Leads: 2,336 |
| Doubles | 422 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 366 | 287 |
| RBI | 1,234 | Leads: 1,257 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,201 | 1,069 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,300 | 1,212 |
| Stolen Bases | 86 | Leads: 147 |
| Batting Avg | .293 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .406 | .381 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .943 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Berkman outpaces Bernie Williams 38,575 to 24,401 — driven by per-season impact — 2,411 PIV per season to 1,525 — rather than by longevity, since Lance Berkman played 16 seasons to Bernie Williams'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
Bernie Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bernie Williams leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Lance Berkman owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bernie Williams. Note that PIV actually grades Lance Berkman ahead, which means Bernie Williams's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lance Berkman and Bernie Williams careers compare
From 1999 through 2006, Lance Berkman and Bernie Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,879 games for Lance Berkman and 2,076 for Bernie Williams across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lance Berkman struck out more than walked (1,300 to 1,201); Bernie Williams struck out more than walked (1,212 to 1,069). Lance Berkman is the more power-leaning hitter, with 366 of 1,905 hits leaving the park. Bernie Williams was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lance Berkman's slugging percentage of .537 tops Bernie Williams's .477.
Lance Berkman vs Bernie Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Berkman or Bernie Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bernie Williams leads Lance Berkman in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Berkman or Bernie Williams hit more home runs?
- Lance Berkman, with 366 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Berkman, with .943 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bernie Williams, with .297 to Lance Berkman's .293.
- Who had more hits?
- Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Lance Berkman's 1,905.