Ron Cey vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Cey 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). Ron Cey played 1971–1987 as a hitter; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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
Ron Cey (1971–1987) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ron Cey finished with 1,868 hits and 316 home runs; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ron Cey, with .799 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ron Cey, with .261 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Ron Cey, with 1,868 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Ron Cey, with 1,139 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ron Cey, with 19,506 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ron Cey and Lance Parrish. 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 | Ron Cey | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,073 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,162 | 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 977 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,868 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 328 | 305 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 27 |
| Home Runs | 316 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,139 | 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,012 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,235 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | 24 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .261 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .354 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .445 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .799 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Cey outpaces Lance Parrish 19,506 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,147 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Ron Cey played 17 seasons to Lance Parrish'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).
Ron Cey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Cey leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Lance Parrish owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Cey. PIV agrees: Ron Cey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Cey and Lance Parrish careers compare
Ron Cey and Lance Parrish were active at the same time between 1977 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 2,073 games for Ron Cey and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Lance Parrish are triples (27 to 21), home runs (324 to 316), and stolen bases (28 to 24). At the plate, Ron Cey struck out more than walked (1,235 to 1,012), and Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). In on-base percentage, Ron Cey holds the edge, .354 to .313.
Ron Cey vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Cey or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Cey leads Lance Parrish in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ron Cey or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ron Cey, with .799 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ron Cey, with .261 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Ron Cey, with 1,868 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.