Rick Ferrell vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Parrish has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947 as a hitter; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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
Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Parrish, with .753 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Parrish, with 6,792 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Lance Parrish. 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 1920s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Ferrell | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 6,028 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 856 |
| Hits | 1,692 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 324 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 45 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 931 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 29 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Parrish edges Rick Ferrell 6,792 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 340 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Lance Parrish played 20 seasons to Rick Ferrell's 21. 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).
Rick Ferrell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Parrish leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rick Ferrell owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Parrish. PIV agrees: Lance Parrish grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Ferrell and Lance Parrish careers compare
No season is shared: Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947, Lance Parrish 1977–1995. The two careers are close in length, 1,884 games for Rick Ferrell and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts), but Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish. Lance Parrish's slugging percentage of .440 tops Rick Ferrell's .363.
Rick Ferrell vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Parrish leads Rick Ferrell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Parrish, with .753 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.