Mickey Cochrane vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mickey Cochrane played 1925–1937 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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
Mickey Cochrane (1925–1937) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — both broke in during the 1920s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Mickey Cochrane finished with 1,652 hits and 119 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mickey Cochrane, with 119 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mickey Cochrane, with .897 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Mickey Cochrane's .320.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mickey Cochrane's 1,652.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Waner, with 1,309 to Mickey Cochrane's 832.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Mickey Cochrane's 24,892.
- Who won more championships? Mickey Cochrane, with 3 World Series titles to Paul Waner's 0.
Mickey Cochrane
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mickey Cochrane and Paul Waner. 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 | Mickey Cochrane | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,482 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 5,169 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,041 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 1,652 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 333 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 64 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 119 | 113 |
| RBI | 832 | Leads: 1,309 |
| Walks | 857 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 217 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 64 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | .320 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .419 | .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .478 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .897 | .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Mickey Cochrane 40,296 to 24,892 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Paul Waner played 22 seasons to Mickey Cochrane's 13, while Mickey Cochrane carries the higher per-season figure (1,915 to 1,832). 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).
Mickey Cochrane — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mickey Cochrane owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mickey Cochrane and Paul Waner careers compare
From 1926 through 1937, Mickey Cochrane and Paul Waner were in the majors together. Paul Waner has the far longer record, 2,549 games against 1,482 across 13 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Mickey Cochrane's edges on the table are home runs (119 to 113), on-base percentage (.419 to .404), and slugging percentage (.478 to .473). At the plate, Mickey Cochrane walked more often than struck out (857 walks, 217 strikeouts), and Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Mickey Cochrane is the more power-leaning hitter, with 119 of 1,652 hits leaving the park. Mickey Cochrane was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Mickey Cochrane vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Cochrane or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Mickey Cochrane in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mickey Cochrane or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Mickey Cochrane, with 119 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mickey Cochrane, with .897 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Mickey Cochrane's .320.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Mickey Cochrane's 1,652.