Rocky Colavito vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rocky Colavito played 1955–1968 as a hitter; Al Kaline played 1953–1974 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
Rocky Colavito (1955–1968) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — both debuted in the 1950s. Rocky Colavito finished with 1,730 hits and 374 home runs; Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Rocky Colavito's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Rocky Colavito's 28,223.
Rocky Colavito
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rocky Colavito and Al Kaline. 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 | Rocky Colavito | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,841 | 2,834 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,503 | 10,116 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,730 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 283 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 374 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,159 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 951 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 880 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .480 |
| OPS | .848 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Rocky Colavito 45,087 to 28,223 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 2,016, across 22 seasons to 14. 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).
Rocky Colavito — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 11 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Rocky Colavito leads 1: slugging percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rocky Colavito and Al Kaline careers compare
Rocky Colavito and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1955 and 1968. Al Kaline has the far longer record, 2,834 games against 1,841 across 14 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Rocky Colavito are slugging percentage (.489 to .480). Rocky Colavito walked more often than struck out (951 walks, 880 strikeouts); Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rocky Colavito's hits: 374 of 1,730 for Rocky Colavito, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline.
Rocky Colavito vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rocky Colavito or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Rocky Colavito in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Rocky Colavito or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.