Rocky Colavito vs Frank Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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 Frank Robinson (1956–1976) — both debuted in the 1950s. Rocky Colavito finished with 1,730 hits and 374 home runs; Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Frank Robinson, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Rocky Colavito's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Rocky Colavito's 28,223.
Rocky Colavito
Frank Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rocky Colavito and Frank Robinson. 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 | Frank Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,841 | 2,808 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,503 | 10,006 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,829 |
| Hits | 1,730 | Leads: 2,943 |
| Doubles | 283 | Leads: 528 |
| Triples | 21 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 374 | Leads: 586 |
| RBI | 1,159 | Leads: 1,812 |
| Walks | 951 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 880 | 1,532 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 204 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .389 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .537 |
| OPS | .848 | Leads: .926 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Rocky Colavito 67,113 to 28,223 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,196 PIV per season to 2,016, across 21 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
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Frank Robinson leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Rocky Colavito leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson 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 Frank Robinson careers compare
Rocky Colavito and Frank Robinson were active at the same time between 1956 and 1968. Frank Robinson has the far longer record, 2,808 games against 1,841 across 14 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Every scored category on the table goes to Frank Robinson. At the plate, Rocky Colavito walked more often than struck out (951 walks, 880 strikeouts), while Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420). On the bases, Frank Robinson stole more often per game played (19 steals in 1,841 games for Rocky Colavito, 204 in 2,808 for Frank Robinson). Frank Robinson's slugging percentage of .537 tops Rocky Colavito's .489.
Rocky Colavito vs Frank Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rocky Colavito or Frank Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Rocky Colavito in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Rocky Colavito or Frank Robinson hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Rocky Colavito's 374.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Rocky Colavito's .848.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.