Nomar Garciaparra vs Vern Stephens: Career Stats Comparison
Nomar Garciaparra and Vern Stephens are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nomar Garciaparra played 1996–2009 as a hitter; Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 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 Vern Stephens (1941–1955) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nomar Garciaparra finished with 1,747 hits and 229 home runs; Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Vern Stephens, with 247 to Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.
- Who drove in more runs? Vern Stephens, with 1,174 to Nomar Garciaparra's 936.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Vern Stephens, with 19,363 career PIV to Nomar Garciaparra's 17,414.
- Who won more championships? Nomar Garciaparra, with 1 World Series title to Vern Stephens's 0.
Nomar Garciaparra
Vern Stephens
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nomar Garciaparra and Vern Stephens. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nomar Garciaparra | Vern Stephens |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,434 | Leads: 1,720 |
| At-Bats | 5,586 | Leads: 6,497 |
| Runs | 927 | Leads: 1,001 |
| Hits | 1,747 | Leads: 1,859 |
| Doubles | Leads: 370 | 307 |
| Triples | Leads: 52 | 42 |
| Home Runs | 229 | Leads: 247 |
| RBI | 936 | Leads: 1,174 |
| Walks | 403 | Leads: 692 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 554 | 685 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 95 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .361 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .521 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .882 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Vern Stephens leads Nomar Garciaparra 19,363 to 17,414 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Vern Stephens played 17 seasons to Nomar Garciaparra's 15, while Nomar Garciaparra carries the higher per-season figure (1,161 to 1,139). 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
Vern Stephens — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vern Stephens leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Nomar Garciaparra owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Vern Stephens. PIV agrees: Vern Stephens 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 Vern Stephens careers compare
Vern Stephens (1941–1955) was finished before Nomar Garciaparra (1996–2009) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,434 games against 1,720 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Nomar Garciaparra struck out more than walked (554 to 403), while Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts). In on-base percentage, Nomar Garciaparra holds the edge, .361 to .355. Best seasons: 2000 for Nomar Garciaparra (1.033 OPS, 21 HR, 96 RBI, .372 avg) and 1949 for Vern Stephens (.930 OPS, 39 HR, 159 RBI, .290 avg).
Nomar Garciaparra vs Vern Stephens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Nomar Garciaparra or Vern Stephens hit more home runs?
- Vern Stephens, with 247 to Nomar Garciaparra's 229.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .882 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nomar Garciaparra, with .313 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Nomar Garciaparra's 1,747.