Joe Gordon vs Bobby Grich: Career Stats Comparison
Bobby Grich has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Gordon played 1938–1950 as a hitter; Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Joe Gordon (1938–1950) and Bobby Grich (1970–1986) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Gordon finished with 1,530 hits and 253 home runs; Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Gordon, with 253 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Gordon, with .822 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Gordon, with .268 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Gordon, with 975 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Joe Gordon's 18,128.
- Who won more championships? Joe Gordon, with 5 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Joe Gordon
Bobby Grich
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Gordon and Bobby Grich. 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 1930s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Gordon | Bobby Grich |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,566 | Leads: 2,008 |
| At-Bats | 5,707 | Leads: 6,890 |
| Runs | 914 | Leads: 1,033 |
| Hits | 1,530 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Doubles | 264 | Leads: 320 |
| Triples | Leads: 52 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 253 | 224 |
| RBI | Leads: 975 | 864 |
| Walks | 759 | Leads: 1,087 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 702 | 1,278 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .268 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .357 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .424 |
| OPS | Leads: .822 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich leads Joe Gordon 20,680 to 18,128 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bobby Grich played 17 seasons to Joe Gordon's 11, while Joe Gordon carries the higher per-season figure (1,648 to 1,216). 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).
Joe Gordon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Grich leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Joe Gordon owns home runs, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Grich. PIV agrees: Bobby Grich grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Gordon and Bobby Grich careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe Gordon's ended in 1950, and Bobby Grich debuted in 1970. The two careers are close in length, 1,566 games for Joe Gordon and 2,008 for Bobby Grich across 11 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Joe Gordon walked more often than struck out (759 walks, 702 strikeouts), while Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087). Joe Gordon is the more power-leaning hitter, with 253 of 1,530 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Joe Gordon stole more often per game played (89 steals in 1,566 games for Joe Gordon, 104 in 2,008 for Bobby Grich).
Joe Gordon vs Bobby Grich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Gordon or Bobby Grich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bobby Grich leads Joe Gordon in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Gordon or Bobby Grich hit more home runs?
- Joe Gordon, with 253 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Gordon, with .822 to Bobby Grich's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Gordon, with .268 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Bobby Grich, with 1,833 to Joe Gordon's 1,530.