Jose Canseco vs Brian Downing: Career Stats Comparison
Brian Downing 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). Jose Canseco played 1985–2001 as a hitter; Brian Downing played 1973–1992 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
Jose Canseco (1985–2001) and Brian Downing (1973–1992) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs; Brian Downing finished with 2,099 hits and 275 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jose Canseco, with 462 to Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brian Downing, with .267 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to Brian Downing's 1,073.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Brian Downing's 22,792.
- Who won more championships? Jose Canseco, with 2 World Series titles to Brian Downing's 0.
Jose Canseco
Brian Downing
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco and Brian Downing. 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 | Jose Canseco | Brian Downing |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,887 | Leads: 2,344 |
| At-Bats | 7,057 | Leads: 7,853 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,188 |
| Hits | 1,877 | Leads: 2,099 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 360 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 275 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,407 | 1,073 |
| Walks | 906 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 1,127 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 50 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .370 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .796 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco edges Brian Downing 24,754 to 22,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 1,140 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Brian Downing'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).
Jose Canseco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brian Downing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OPS, while Brian Downing owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Canseco. PIV agrees: Jose Canseco grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Canseco and Brian Downing careers compare
Jose Canseco and Brian Downing were active at the same time between 1985 and 1992. The two careers are close in length, 1,887 games for Jose Canseco and 2,344 for Brian Downing across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906), while Brian Downing walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,127 strikeouts). Jose Canseco is the more power-leaning hitter, with 462 of 1,877 hits leaving the park. Jose Canseco was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jose Canseco's slugging percentage of .515 tops Brian Downing's .425.
Jose Canseco vs Brian Downing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Brian Downing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brian Downing leads Jose Canseco in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Brian Downing hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brian Downing, with .267 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.