Orlando Cepeda vs Billy Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Orlando Cepeda played 1958–1974 as a hitter; Billy Williams played 1959–1976 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
Orlando Cepeda (1958–1974) and Billy Williams (1959–1976) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Billy Williams finished with 2,711 hits and 426 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Billy Williams, with 426 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Billy Williams, with .853 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average? Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits? Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.
- Who drove in more runs? Billy Williams, with 1,475 to Orlando Cepeda's 1,365.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Billy Williams, with 44,022 career PIV to Orlando Cepeda's 32,785.
- Who won more championships? Orlando Cepeda, with 2 World Series titles to Billy Williams's 0.
Orlando Cepeda
Billy Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Billy Williams. 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 | Orlando Cepeda | Billy Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,488 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 9,350 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,410 |
| Hits | 2,351 | Leads: 2,711 |
| Doubles | 417 | Leads: 434 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 379 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | 1,365 | Leads: 1,475 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,045 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 1,046 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .290 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .492 |
| OPS | .849 | Leads: .853 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Williams outpaces Orlando Cepeda 44,022 to 32,785 — driven by per-season impact — 2,446 PIV per season to 1,726 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Williams played 18 seasons to Orlando Cepeda's 19. 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).
Orlando Cepeda — top 3 seasons by OPS
Billy Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Williams leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Orlando Cepeda owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Williams. PIV agrees: Billy Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Orlando Cepeda and Billy Williams careers compare
Orlando Cepeda and Billy Williams were active at the same time between 1959 and 1974. With 2,124 games against 2,488 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Orlando Cepeda's edges on the table are stolen bases (142 to 90), batting average (.297 to .290), and slugging percentage (.499 to .492). At the plate, Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588), and Billy Williams struck out more than walked (1,046 to 1,045). On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 90 in 2,488 for Billy Williams).
Orlando Cepeda vs Billy Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Billy Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Williams leads Orlando Cepeda in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Billy Williams hit more home runs?
- Billy Williams, with 426 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Billy Williams, with .853 to Orlando Cepeda's .849.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Billy Williams's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Billy Williams, with 2,711 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.