Craig Biggio vs Joe Gordon: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Biggio has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 as a hitter; Joe Gordon played 1938–1950 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
Craig Biggio (1988–2007) and Joe Gordon (1938–1950) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 home runs; Joe Gordon finished with 1,530 hits and 253 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Craig Biggio, with 291 to Joe Gordon's 253.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Gordon, with .822 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Craig Biggio, with .281 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.
- Who drove in more runs? Craig Biggio, with 1,175 to Joe Gordon's 975.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Craig Biggio, with 18,390 career PIV to Joe Gordon's 18,128.
- Who won more championships? Joe Gordon, with 5 World Series titles to Craig Biggio's 0.
Craig Biggio
Joe Gordon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio and Joe Gordon. 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 1980s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Craig Biggio | Joe Gordon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 1,566 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 5,707 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 914 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 1,530 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 264 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 52 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 291 | 253 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,175 | 975 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,160 | 759 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 702 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 414 | 89 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .357 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .466 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Biggio edges Joe Gordon 18,390 to 18,128 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Craig Biggio played 20 seasons to Joe Gordon's 11, while Joe Gordon carries the higher per-season figure (1,648 to 919). 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).
Craig Biggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Gordon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Biggio leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Gordon owns OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Biggio. PIV agrees: Craig Biggio grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Craig Biggio and Joe Gordon careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe Gordon's ended in 1950, and Craig Biggio debuted in 1988. The table compares 2,850 games of Craig Biggio with 1,566 of Joe Gordon across 20 and 11 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Joe Gordon's edges on the table are slugging percentage (.466 to .433) and OPS (.822 to .796). Plate discipline differs: Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160), but Joe Gordon walked more often than struck out (759 walks, 702 strikeouts). Joe Gordon is the more power-leaning hitter, with 253 of 1,530 hits leaving the park. Craig Biggio was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Craig Biggio vs Joe Gordon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Joe Gordon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Biggio leads Joe Gordon in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Joe Gordon hit more home runs?
- Craig Biggio, with 291 to Joe Gordon's 253.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Gordon, with .822 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Craig Biggio, with .281 to Joe Gordon's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.