Brian Downing vs Greg Luzinski: Career Stats Comparison
Brian Downing has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brian Downing played 1973–1992 as a hitter; Greg Luzinski played 1970–1984 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
Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Greg Luzinski (1970–1984) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Brian Downing finished with 2,099 hits and 275 home runs; Greg Luzinski finished with 1,795 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Greg Luzinski, with 307 to Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Greg Luzinski, with .840 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Greg Luzinski, with .276 to Brian Downing's .267.
- Who had more hits? Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Greg Luzinski's 1,795.
- Who drove in more runs? Greg Luzinski, with 1,128 to Brian Downing's 1,073.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Greg Luzinski, with 26,035 career PIV to Brian Downing's 22,792.
- Who won more championships? Greg Luzinski, with 1 World Series title to Brian Downing's 0.
Brian Downing
Greg Luzinski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian Downing and Greg Luzinski. 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 | Brian Downing | Greg Luzinski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,344 | 1,821 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,853 | 6,505 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,188 | 880 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,099 | 1,795 |
| Doubles | Leads: 360 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 28 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 275 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 1,073 | Leads: 1,128 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,197 | 845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,127 | 1,495 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 50 | 37 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .363 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .478 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .840 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Luzinski leads Brian Downing 26,035 to 22,792 — driven by per-season impact — 1,736 PIV per season to 1,140 — rather than by longevity, since Greg Luzinski played 15 seasons to Brian Downing's 20. 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).
Brian Downing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Greg Luzinski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Luzinski leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Brian Downing owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Luzinski. PIV agrees: Greg Luzinski grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brian Downing and Greg Luzinski careers compare
The careers of Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Greg Luzinski (1970–1984) overlapped from 1973 to 1984, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,344 games for Brian Downing and 1,821 for Greg Luzinski across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Brian Downing walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,127 strikeouts), but Greg Luzinski struck out more than walked (1,495 to 845). Greg Luzinski is the more power-leaning hitter, with 307 of 1,795 hits leaving the park. Brian Downing's on-base percentage of .370 tops Greg Luzinski's .363.
Brian Downing vs Greg Luzinski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brian Downing or Greg Luzinski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brian Downing leads Greg Luzinski in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brian Downing or Greg Luzinski hit more home runs?
- Greg Luzinski, with 307 to Brian Downing's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Greg Luzinski, with .840 to Brian Downing's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Greg Luzinski, with .276 to Brian Downing's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian Downing, with 2,099 to Greg Luzinski's 1,795.