Bob Elliott vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Elliott and Graig Nettles are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bob Elliott played 1939–1953 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
Bob Elliott (1939–1953) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bob Elliott finished with 2,061 hits and 170 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? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bob Elliott, with .815 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bob Elliott, with .289 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Bob Elliott's 1,195.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bob Elliott, with 22,824 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Bob Elliott's 0.
Bob Elliott
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bob Elliott 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 1930s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Elliott | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,978 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 7,141 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,064 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 2,061 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 382 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 94 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 170 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 1,195 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 967 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 604 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 60 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Elliott outpaces Graig Nettles 22,824 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,427 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Elliott played 16 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).
Bob Elliott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Elliott leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Graig Nettles owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Elliott. PIV agrees: Bob Elliott grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Elliott and Graig Nettles careers compare
Bob Elliott (1939–1953) was finished before Graig Nettles (1967–1988) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,978 games against 2,700 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Bob Elliott walked more often than struck out (967 walks, 604 strikeouts), but Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Graig Nettles's hits: 170 of 2,061 for Bob Elliott, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. Bob Elliott owns the better peak by OPS: .927 OPS in 1947 for Bob Elliott against .829 OPS in 1977 for Graig Nettles.
Bob Elliott vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Bob Elliott or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Bob Elliott's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bob Elliott, with .815 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bob Elliott, with .289 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bob Elliott's 2,061.