Bill Freehan vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Graig Nettles 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). Bill Freehan played 1961–1976 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
Bill Freehan (1961–1976) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bill Freehan finished with 1,591 hits and 200 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 Bill Freehan's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bill Freehan, with .752 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bill Freehan, with .262 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Bill Freehan's 758.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bill Freehan, with 12,940 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Bill Freehan's 1.
Bill Freehan
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bill Freehan 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bill Freehan | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,774 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 6,073 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 706 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 1,591 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | 241 | Leads: 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 35 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 758 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 626 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 753 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | 24 | Leads: 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .262 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .340 | .329 |
| Slugging % | .412 | Leads: .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .752 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bill Freehan edges Graig Nettles 12,940 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 863 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Bill Freehan played 15 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).
Bill Freehan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Graig Nettles leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bill Freehan owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Graig Nettles. Note that PIV actually grades Bill Freehan ahead, which means Graig Nettles's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bill Freehan and Graig Nettles careers compare
From 1967 through 1976, Bill Freehan and Graig Nettles were in the majors together. Graig Nettles has the far longer record, 2,700 games against 1,774 across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Bill Freehan's edges on the table are triples (35 to 28), batting average (.262 to .248), and on-base percentage (.340 to .329). At the plate, Bill Freehan struck out more than walked (753 to 626), and Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Graig Nettles's hits: 200 of 1,591 for Bill Freehan, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. Graig Nettles's slugging percentage of .421 tops Bill Freehan's .412.
Bill Freehan vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bill Freehan or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Graig Nettles leads Bill Freehan in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bill Freehan or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Bill Freehan's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bill Freehan, with .752 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bill Freehan, with .262 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.