Jim Edmonds vs Brian Giles: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Edmonds has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Edmonds played 1993–2010 as a hitter; Brian Giles played 1995–2009 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
Jim Edmonds (1993–2010) and Brian Giles (1995–2009) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jim Edmonds finished with 1,949 hits and 393 home runs; Brian Giles finished with 1,897 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Edmonds, with 393 to Brian Giles's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Edmonds, with .903 to Brian Giles's .902.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brian Giles, with .291 to Jim Edmonds's .284.
- Who had more hits? Jim Edmonds, with 1,949 to Brian Giles's 1,897.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Edmonds, with 1,199 to Brian Giles's 1,078.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Brian Giles, with 28,914 career PIV to Jim Edmonds's 28,444.
- Who won more championships? Jim Edmonds, with 1 World Series title to Brian Giles's 0.
Jim Edmonds
Brian Giles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Edmonds and Brian Giles. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Edmonds | Brian Giles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,011 | 1,847 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,858 | 6,527 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,251 | 1,121 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,949 | 1,897 |
| Doubles | Leads: 437 | 411 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 393 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,199 | 1,078 |
| Walks | 998 | Leads: 1,183 |
| Strikeouts | 1,729 | 835 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 109 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .291 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .400 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .527 | .502 |
| OPS | Leads: .903 | .902 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Brian Giles edges Jim Edmonds 28,914 to 28,444 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,807 vs 1,497 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).
Jim Edmonds — top 3 seasons by OPS
Brian Giles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Edmonds leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brian Giles owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Edmonds. Note that PIV actually grades Brian Giles ahead, which means Jim Edmonds's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Edmonds vs Brian Giles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Edmonds or Brian Giles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Edmonds leads Brian Giles in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Jim Edmonds or Brian Giles hit more home runs?
- Jim Edmonds, with 393 to Brian Giles's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Edmonds, with .903 to Brian Giles's .902.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brian Giles, with .291 to Jim Edmonds's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Edmonds, with 1,949 to Brian Giles's 1,897.