Craig Biggio vs Rickey Henderson: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson 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). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 as a hitter; Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 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 Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 home runs; Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Craig Biggio, with .281 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Craig Biggio, with 1,175 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
- Who won more championships? Rickey Henderson, with 2 World Series titles to Craig Biggio's 0.
Craig Biggio
Rickey Henderson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio and Rickey Henderson. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Craig Biggio | Rickey Henderson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,850 | Leads: 3,081 |
| At-Bats | 10,876 | Leads: 10,961 |
| Runs | 1,844 | Leads: 2,295 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 3,055 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 510 |
| Triples | 55 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | 291 | Leads: 297 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,175 | 1,115 |
| Walks | 1,160 | Leads: 2,190 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,694 |
| Stolen Bases | 414 | Leads: 1,406 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .401 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .433 | .419 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .820 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Craig Biggio 37,642 to 18,390 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 919, across 29 seasons to 20. 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
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Craig Biggio owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson 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 Rickey Henderson careers compare
From 1988 through 2003, Craig Biggio and Rickey Henderson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,850 games for Craig Biggio and 3,081 for Rickey Henderson across 20 and 29 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160), but Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts). On the bases, Rickey Henderson stole more often per game played (414 steals in 2,850 games for Craig Biggio, 1,406 in 3,081 for Rickey Henderson). In on-base percentage, Rickey Henderson holds the edge, .401 to .363.
Craig Biggio vs Rickey Henderson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Rickey Henderson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Craig Biggio in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Rickey Henderson hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Craig Biggio, with .281 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.