Jose Canseco vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Canseco 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; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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 Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 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 Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Jose Canseco's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Salmon, with .282 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Jose Canseco, with 1,877 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Jose Canseco, with 2 World Series titles to Tim Salmon's 1.
Jose Canseco
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco and Tim Salmon. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jose Canseco | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,887 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,057 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,186 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,877 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 340 | 339 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,407 | 1,016 |
| Walks | 906 | Leads: 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .498 |
| OPS | .867 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco edges Tim Salmon 24,754 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 to 1,303). 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
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. 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 Tim Salmon careers compare
Jose Canseco and Tim Salmon were active at the same time between 1992 and 2001. The two careers are close in length, 1,887 games for Jose Canseco and 1,672 for Tim Salmon across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906); Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). Jose Canseco is the more power-leaning hitter, with 462 of 1,877 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jose Canseco stole more often per game played (200 steals in 1,887 games for Jose Canseco, 48 in 1,672 for Tim Salmon).
Jose Canseco vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Canseco leads Tim Salmon in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Jose Canseco's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Salmon, with .282 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Jose Canseco, with 1,877 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.