Andre Dawson vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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
Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 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? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Andre Dawson, with .806 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Andre Dawson, with .279 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Andre Dawson, with 20,948 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Andre Dawson | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,627 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,927 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,373 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,774 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 503 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .248 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .806 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andre Dawson outpaces Graig Nettles 20,948 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 998 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Andre Dawson played 21 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. PIV agrees: Andre Dawson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andre Dawson and Graig Nettles careers compare
The careers of Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) overlapped from 1976 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,627 games for Andre Dawson and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Graig Nettles comes out ahead, it is in games (2,700 to 2,627), walks (1,088 to 589), and on-base percentage (.329 to .323). Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088).
Andre Dawson vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Graig Nettles in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Andre Dawson, with .806 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Andre Dawson, with .279 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.