Brian Downing vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Brian Downing (1973–1992) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — 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; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Brian Downing
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian Downing and Dave Parker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity; the rate stats at the bottom are era-agnostic.
| Statistic | Brian Downing | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,344 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 7,853 | 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,188 | 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,099 | 2,712 |
| Doubles | 360 | 526 |
| Triples | 28 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 275 | 339 |
| RBI | 1,073 | 1,493 |
| Walks | 1,197 | 683 |
| Strikeouts | 1,127 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | .290 |
| On-Base % | .370 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .425 | .471 |
| OPS | .796 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker edges Brian Downing 23,542 to 22,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,177 vs 1,140 per year). 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).
Brian Downing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brian Downing owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.