Nomar Garciaparra vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Nomar Garciaparra has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 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
Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 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? Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits? Nomar Garciaparra, with 1,747 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Nomar Garciaparra, with 936 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nomar Garciaparra, with 17,414 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Nomar Garciaparra's 1.
Nomar Garciaparra
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nomar Garciaparra 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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nomar Garciaparra | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,434 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,586 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 927 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,747 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 370 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 52 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 229 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 936 | 729 |
| Walks | 403 | Leads: 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 554 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 95 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .302 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .521 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .882 | .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nomar Garciaparra leads Buster Posey 17,414 to 15,615 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nomar Garciaparra played 15 seasons to Buster Posey's 12, while Buster Posey carries the higher per-season figure (1,301 to 1,161). 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).
Nomar Garciaparra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nomar Garciaparra leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nomar Garciaparra. PIV agrees: Nomar Garciaparra grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nomar Garciaparra and Buster Posey careers compare
From 2009 through 2009, Nomar Garciaparra and Buster Posey were in the majors together. With 1,434 games against 1,371 across 15 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Buster Posey's edges on the table are walks (540 to 403) and on-base percentage (.372 to .361). Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403); Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Buster Posey's on-base percentage of .372 tops Nomar Garciaparra's .361. Best seasons: 2000 for Nomar Garciaparra (1.033 OPS, 21 HR, 96 RBI, .372 avg) and 2012 for Buster Posey (.957 OPS, 24 HR, 103 RBI, .336 avg).
Nomar Garciaparra vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nomar Garciaparra or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nomar Garciaparra leads Buster Posey in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nomar Garciaparra or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with 1,747 to Buster Posey's 1,500.