Will Clark vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Will Clark played 1986–2000 as a hitter; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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
Will Clark (1986–2000) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — both debuted in the 1980s. Will Clark finished with 2,176 hits and 284 home runs; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Fred McGriff, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Will Clark's .880.
- Who had the higher batting average? Will Clark, with .303 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Will Clark's 2,176.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Will Clark's 1,205.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Will Clark's 29,924.
Will Clark
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Will Clark and Fred McGriff. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Will Clark | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,976 | 2,460 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,173 | 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,176 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 284 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,205 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 937 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,190 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .377 |
| Slugging % | .497 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .880 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff leads Will Clark 37,233 to 29,924 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fred McGriff played 19 seasons to Will Clark's 15, while Will Clark carries the higher per-season figure (1,995 to 1,960). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Will Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred McGriff leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Will Clark leads 3: triples, batting average, and on-base percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Will Clark and Fred McGriff careers compare
The careers of Will Clark (1986–2000) and Fred McGriff (1986–2004) overlapped from 1986 to 2000, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,976 games for Will Clark and 2,460 for Fred McGriff across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Will Clark comes out ahead, it is in triples (47 to 24), batting average (.303 to .284), and on-base percentage (.384 to .377). Will Clark struck out more than walked (1,190 to 937); Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). Fred McGriff is the more power-leaning hitter, with 493 of 2,490 hits leaving the park.
Will Clark vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Will Clark or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Will Clark in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Will Clark or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Will Clark's .880.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Will Clark, with .303 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Will Clark's 2,176.