Juan Gonzalez vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Juan Gonzalez has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Juan Gonzalez played 1989–2005 as a hitter; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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
Juan Gonzalez (1989–2005) and Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Juan Gonzalez finished with 1,936 hits and 434 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Juan Gonzalez, with 434 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Tim Salmon's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Juan Gonzalez, with .295 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Juan Gonzalez, with 1,936 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Juan Gonzalez, with 1,404 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Juan Gonzalez, with 25,105 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Tim Salmon, with 1 World Series title to Juan Gonzalez's 0.
Juan Gonzalez
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Juan Gonzalez and Tim Salmon. 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Juan Gonzalez | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,689 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,556 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,061 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,936 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 388 | 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 25 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 434 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,404 | 1,016 |
| Walks | 457 | Leads: 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,273 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .561 | .498 |
| OPS | Leads: .904 | .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Juan Gonzalez leads Tim Salmon 25,105 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Juan Gonzalez played 17 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 to 1,477). 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).
Juan Gonzalez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Juan Gonzalez leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns stolen bases and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Juan Gonzalez. PIV agrees: Juan Gonzalez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Juan Gonzalez and Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1992 through 2005, Juan Gonzalez and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,689 games for Juan Gonzalez and 1,672 for Tim Salmon across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tim Salmon are walks (970 to 457), stolen bases (48 to 26), and on-base percentage (.385 to .343). Juan Gonzalez struck out more than walked (1,273 to 457); Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). On the peak-season lists, Juan Gonzalez's best year is 1996 at 1.011 OPS and Tim Salmon's is 1995 at 1.024 OPS; Tim Salmon has the stronger single season.
Juan Gonzalez vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Gonzalez or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Juan Gonzalez leads Tim Salmon in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Juan Gonzalez or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Juan Gonzalez, with 434 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Gonzalez, with .904 to Tim Salmon's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Juan Gonzalez, with .295 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Juan Gonzalez, with 1,936 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.