Craig Biggio vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Biggio and Rafael Palmeiro are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Craig Biggio's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
Craig Biggio
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Craig Biggio | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 2,831 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 10,472 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 1,663 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 3,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 291 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,175 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,160 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 414 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Craig Biggio 42,814 to 18,390 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 919 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons to Craig Biggio's 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Craig Biggio owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Craig Biggio and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1988 and 2005. With 2,850 games against 2,831 across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 291 of 3,060 for Craig Biggio, 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro. On the bases, Craig Biggio stole more often per game played (414 steals in 2,850 games for Craig Biggio, 97 in 2,831 for Rafael Palmeiro).
Craig Biggio vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Craig Biggio or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.