George Brett vs Ron Cey: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Brett played 1973–1993 as a hitter; Ron Cey played 1971–1987 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Ron Cey (1971–1987) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Ron Cey finished with 1,868 hits and 316 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? George Brett, with 317 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Ron Cey's 1,868.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Ron Cey's 1,139.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Ron Cey's 19,506.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Ron Cey. 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 | George Brett | Ron Cey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 2,073 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 7,162 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 977 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 1,868 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 317 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,139 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,096 | 1,012 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,235 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .354 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .487 | .445 |
| OPS | Leads: .857 | .799 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett outpaces Ron Cey 41,511 to 19,506 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,977 PIV per season to 1,147, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ron Cey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ron Cey owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. PIV agrees: George Brett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Ron Cey careers compare
From 1973 through 1987, George Brett and Ron Cey were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,707 games for George Brett and 2,073 for Ron Cey across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. George Brett leads every scored row of the table. Plate discipline differs: George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), but Ron Cey struck out more than walked (1,235 to 1,012). Ron Cey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 316 of 1,868 hits leaving the park. George Brett was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
George Brett vs Ron Cey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Ron Cey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Ron Cey in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Ron Cey hit more home runs?
- George Brett, with 317 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Ron Cey's 1,868.