Lou Brock vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock 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). Lou Brock played 1961–1979 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Lou Brock (1961–1979) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Brock, with .753 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Brock, with 18,115 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Brock and Graig Nettles. 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 | Lou Brock | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,616 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,332 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,610 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,023 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 149 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 900 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 761 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,730 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 938 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .329 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .753 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Brock outpaces Graig Nettles 18,115 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 906 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Brock played 20 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Lou Brock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lou Brock leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lou Brock. PIV agrees: Lou Brock grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Brock and Graig Nettles careers compare
The careers of Lou Brock (1961–1979) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) overlapped from 1967 to 1979, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,616 games against 2,700 across 20 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Graig Nettles's hits: 149 of 3,023 for Lou Brock, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. Lou Brock was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Lou Brock vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Brock or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Graig Nettles in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Brock or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Brock, with .753 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.