Nomar Garciaparra vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines 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). Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 as a hitter; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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 Tim Raines (1979–2002) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Tim Raines, with 980 to Nomar Garciaparra's 936.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Nomar Garciaparra's 17,414.
- Who won more championships? Tim Raines, with 2 World Series titles to Nomar Garciaparra's 1.
Nomar Garciaparra
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nomar Garciaparra and Tim Raines. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nomar Garciaparra | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,434 | Leads: 2,502 |
| At-Bats | 5,586 | Leads: 8,872 |
| Runs | 927 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 1,747 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 370 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 52 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 229 | 170 |
| RBI | 936 | Leads: 980 |
| Walks | 403 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 554 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 95 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .294 |
| On-Base % | .361 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .521 | .425 |
| OPS | Leads: .882 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines outpaces Nomar Garciaparra 25,763 to 17,414 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tim Raines played 24 seasons to Nomar Garciaparra's 15, while Nomar Garciaparra carries the higher per-season figure (1,161 to 1,073). 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
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Nomar Garciaparra owns home runs, batting average, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines 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 Tim Raines careers compare
Nomar Garciaparra and Tim Raines were active at the same time between 1996 and 2002. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nomar Garciaparra appeared in 1,434 games to Tim Raines's 2,502. Nomar Garciaparra's edges on the table are home runs (229 to 170), batting average (.313 to .294), and slugging percentage (.521 to .425). At the plate, Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403), while Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Nomar Garciaparra's hits: 229 of 1,747 for Nomar Garciaparra, 170 of 2,605 for Tim Raines.
Nomar Garciaparra vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nomar Garciaparra or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Nomar Garciaparra in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nomar Garciaparra or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with 229 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.