Alvin Davis vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Alvin Davis played 1984–1992 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Alvin Davis (1984–1992) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Alvin Davis finished with 1,189 hits and 160 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Alvin Davis's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Alvin Davis's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Alvin Davis's .280.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Alvin Davis's 1,189.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Alvin Davis's 683.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Alvin Davis's 16,260.
Alvin Davis
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Alvin Davis and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Alvin Davis | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,206 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 4,240 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 568 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 1,189 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 220 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | 10 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 683 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 685 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 558 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 7 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | .280 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .371 |
| Slugging % | .450 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Alvin Davis 42,814 to 16,260 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,807, across 20 seasons to 9. 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).
Alvin Davis — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Alvin Davis owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Alvin Davis and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Alvin Davis and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1986 and 1992. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Alvin Davis appeared in 1,206 games to Rafael Palmeiro's 2,831. The green cells for Alvin Davis are on-base percentage (.380 to .371). At the plate, Alvin Davis walked more often than struck out (685 walks, 558 strikeouts), and Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Rafael Palmeiro's hits: 160 of 1,189 for Alvin Davis, 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro. Rafael Palmeiro's slugging percentage of .515 tops Alvin Davis's .450.
Alvin Davis vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Alvin Davis or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Alvin Davis in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Alvin Davis or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Alvin Davis's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Alvin Davis's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Alvin Davis's .280.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Alvin Davis's 1,189.