Ron Cey vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Schmidt has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — 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; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Schmidt, with .267 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits? Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Ron Cey's 1,868.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to Ron Cey's 1,139.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Schmidt, with 49,630 career PIV to Ron Cey's 19,506.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ron Cey and Mike Schmidt. 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 | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,073 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 7,162 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | 977 | Leads: 1,506 |
| Hits | 1,868 | Leads: 2,234 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 408 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | 316 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 1,139 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 1,012 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,235 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | 24 | Leads: 174 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | .354 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .445 | Leads: .527 |
| OPS | .799 | Leads: .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Schmidt outpaces Ron Cey 49,630 to 19,506 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,757 PIV per season to 1,147, across 18 seasons to 17. 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
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Schmidt leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ron Cey owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Schmidt. PIV agrees: Mike Schmidt 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
Ron Cey and Mike Schmidt were active at the same time between 1972 and 1987. With 2,073 games against 2,404 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Mike Schmidt. At the plate, Ron Cey struck out more than walked (1,235 to 1,012), and Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Mike Schmidt stole more often per game played (24 steals in 2,073 games for Ron Cey, 174 in 2,404 for Mike Schmidt).
Ron Cey vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Cey or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Schmidt leads Ron Cey in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ron Cey or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Ron Cey's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Schmidt, with .267 to Ron Cey's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Ron Cey's 1,868.