Bobby Grich vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Graig Nettles 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). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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
Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Grich, with .266 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Bobby Grich
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich and Graig Nettles. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bobby Grich | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,008 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,033 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 1,833 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 224 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,087 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .266 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .424 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .794 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich outpaces Graig Nettles 20,680 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,216 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Grich played 17 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Bobby Grich — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Grich leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Graig Nettles owns hits, home runs, and RBI. 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 Bobby Grich and Graig Nettles careers compare
Bobby Grich and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1970 and 1986. With 2,008 games against 2,700 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087), and Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Bobby Grich stole more often per game played (104 steals in 2,008 games for Bobby Grich, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles). In slugging percentage, Bobby Grich holds the edge, .424 to .421.
Bobby Grich vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Graig Nettles leads Bobby Grich in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Grich, with .266 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.