Bill Freehan vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Parrish 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; 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
Bill Freehan (1961–1976) and Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bill Freehan finished with 1,591 hits and 200 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 Bill Freehan's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Parrish, with .753 to Bill Freehan's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bill Freehan, with .262 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Bill Freehan's 758.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bill Freehan, with 12,940 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Bill Freehan
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bill Freehan 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bill Freehan | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,774 | Leads: 1,988 |
| At-Bats | 6,073 | Leads: 7,067 |
| Runs | 706 | Leads: 856 |
| Hits | 1,591 | Leads: 1,782 |
| Doubles | 241 | Leads: 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 35 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 200 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 758 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 626 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 753 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | 24 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .262 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .340 | .313 |
| Slugging % | .412 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | .752 | Leads: .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bill Freehan outpaces Lance Parrish 12,940 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 863 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Bill Freehan played 15 seasons to Lance Parrish's 20. 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
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 Bill Freehan owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Parrish. Note that PIV actually grades Bill Freehan ahead, which means Lance Parrish's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bill Freehan and Lance Parrish careers compare
No season is shared: Bill Freehan played 1961–1976, Lance Parrish 1977–1995. With 1,774 games against 1,988 across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bill Freehan comes out ahead, it is in triples (35 to 27), walks (626 to 612), and batting average (.262 to .252). Bill Freehan struck out more than walked (753 to 626); Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 200 of 1,591 for Bill Freehan, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish. In on-base percentage, Bill Freehan holds the edge, .340 to .313.
Bill Freehan vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bill Freehan or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Parrish leads Bill Freehan in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bill Freehan or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Bill Freehan's 200.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Parrish, with .753 to Bill Freehan's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bill Freehan, with .262 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to Bill Freehan's 1,591.