Roberto Clemente vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 10 seasons. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Roberto Clemente, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Rusty Staub, with 292 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Rusty Staub's 2,716.
- Who drove in more runs? Rusty Staub, with 1,466 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Rusty Staub's 30,346.
Roberto Clemente
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Rusty Staub. 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 | Roberto Clemente | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 2,951 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 9,720 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,189 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,716 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 499 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 292 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,466 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,255 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .793 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Rusty Staub 34,131 to 30,346 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,319 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Rusty Staub's 23. 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Roberto Clemente leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, stolen bases, and others. Rusty Staub leads 5: doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Rusty Staub careers compare
From 1963 through 1972, Roberto Clemente and Rusty Staub were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,951 for Rusty Staub across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), while Rusty Staub walked more often than struck out (1,255 walks, 888 strikeouts). Rusty Staub is the more power-leaning hitter, with 292 of 2,716 hits leaving the park. Roberto Clemente's slugging percentage of .475 tops Rusty Staub's .431.
Roberto Clemente vs Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Rusty Staub in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Rusty Staub, with 292 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Rusty Staub's 2,716.