Jimmy Collins vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Graig Nettles has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jimmy Collins played 1895–1908 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Jimmy Collins (1895–1908) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmy Collins finished with 1,999 hits and 65 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jimmy Collins, with .752 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Jimmy Collins's 1,999.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Jimmy Collins's 983.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jimmy Collins, with 13,677 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Jimmy Collins's 1.
Jimmy Collins
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmy Collins and Graig Nettles. 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, and the 1890s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmy Collins | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,725 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 6,795 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,055 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 1,999 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 352 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 116 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 65 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 983 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 426 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 266 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 194 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .329 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .752 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jimmy Collins leads Graig Nettles 13,677 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 855 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Jimmy Collins played 16 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Jimmy Collins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmy Collins leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Graig Nettles owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmy Collins. PIV agrees: Jimmy Collins grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmy Collins and Graig Nettles careers compare
Jimmy Collins (1895–1908) was finished before Graig Nettles (1967–1988) arrived, so they never shared a league. Graig Nettles has the far longer record, 2,700 games against 1,725 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Jimmy Collins walked more often than struck out (426 walks, 266 strikeouts), while Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jimmy Collins stole more often per game played (194 steals in 1,725 games for Jimmy Collins, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles). In slugging percentage, Graig Nettles holds the edge, .421 to .409.
Jimmy Collins vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmy Collins or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Graig Nettles leads Jimmy Collins in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmy Collins or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jimmy Collins, with .752 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Jimmy Collins's 1,999.