Will Clark vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome 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; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 10 seasons. Will Clark finished with 2,176 hits and 284 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Thome, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Will Clark's .880.
- Who had the higher batting average? Will Clark, with .303 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Will Clark's 2,176.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Will Clark's 1,205.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Will Clark's 29,924.
Will Clark
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Will Clark and Jim Thome. 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 | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,976 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,173 | 8,422 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 2,176 | Leads: 2,328 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 284 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,205 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 937 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,190 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 67 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .384 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .497 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .880 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Will Clark 51,664 to 29,924 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,348 PIV per season to 1,995, across 22 seasons to 15. 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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jim Thome 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, stolen bases, and batting average. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome 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 Jim Thome careers compare
The careers of Will Clark (1986–2000) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) overlapped from 1991 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 2,543 for Jim Thome across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Will Clark's edges on the table are triples (47 to 26), stolen bases (67 to 19), and batting average (.303 to .276). Will Clark struck out more than walked (1,190 to 937); Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Jim Thome is the more power-leaning hitter, with 612 of 2,328 hits leaving the park.
Will Clark vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Will Clark or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Will Clark in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Will Clark or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Will Clark's 284.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Will Clark's .880.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Will Clark, with .303 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Will Clark's 2,176.