Craig Biggio vs Paul Molitor: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 as a hitter; Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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 Paul Molitor (1978–1998) — 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; Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 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 Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Molitor, with .817 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Craig Biggio's 3,060.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Craig Biggio's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
- Who won more championships? Paul Molitor, with 1 World Series title to Craig Biggio's 0.
Craig Biggio
Paul Molitor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio and Paul Molitor. 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 | Paul Molitor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 2,683 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 10,835 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 1,782 |
| Hits | 3,060 | Leads: 3,319 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 605 |
| Triples | 55 | Leads: 114 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 291 | 234 |
| RBI | 1,175 | Leads: 1,307 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,160 | 1,094 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,244 |
| Stolen Bases | 414 | Leads: 504 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .369 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .448 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Craig Biggio 29,073 to 18,390 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,384 PIV per season to 919, across 21 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
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Craig Biggio owns home runs and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Molitor. PIV agrees: Paul Molitor 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 Paul Molitor careers compare
Craig Biggio and Paul Molitor were active at the same time between 1988 and 1998. With 2,850 games against 2,683 across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160); Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094). Home runs make up a larger share of Craig Biggio's hits: 291 of 3,060 for Craig Biggio, 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor. On the bases, Paul Molitor stole more often per game played (414 steals in 2,850 games for Craig Biggio, 504 in 2,683 for Paul Molitor). Paul Molitor's slugging percentage of .448 tops Craig Biggio's .433.
Craig Biggio vs Paul Molitor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Paul Molitor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Craig Biggio in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Paul Molitor hit more home runs?
- Craig Biggio, with 291 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Molitor, with .817 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Craig Biggio's 3,060.