Rick Ferrell vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Ferrell has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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 Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Buster Posey, with 158 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Rick Ferrell, with 734 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buster Posey, with 15,615 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Buster Posey. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Ferrell | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,884 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,028 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 687 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,692 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 324 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 45 | 9 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 734 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 931 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 29 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .372 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buster Posey outpaces Rick Ferrell 15,615 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 1,301 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Buster Posey played 12 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
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Ferrell leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buster Posey owns home runs, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Ferrell. Note that PIV actually grades Buster Posey ahead, which means Rick Ferrell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Ferrell and Buster Posey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rick Ferrell's ended in 1947, and Buster Posey debuted in 2009. With 1,884 games against 1,371 across 21 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buster Posey comes out ahead, it is in home runs (158 to 28), batting average (.302 to .281), and slugging percentage (.460 to .363). Plate discipline differs: Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts), but Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Home runs make up a larger share of Buster Posey's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 158 of 1,500 for Buster Posey.
Rick Ferrell vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Ferrell leads Buster Posey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Buster Posey, with 158 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Buster Posey's 1,500.