Bobby Grich vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison

Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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 Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.

Quick answer

  • Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Bobby Grich's 224.
  • Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Bobby Grich's .794.
  • Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Bobby Grich's .266.
  • Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
  • Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Bobby Grich's 864.
  • Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Bobby Grich's 20,680.
  • Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Bobby Grich's 1.
Leads Dave Parker 12 of 14 scored categories
PIV edge Dave Parker +2,861
Read the verdict ↓

Bobby Grich

Hitter · 1970–1986
Games
2,008
Hits
1,833
Home Runs
224
RBI
864
Avg
.266
OPS
.794
View Bobby Grich's full profile →

Dave Parker

Hitter · 1973–1991
Games
2,466
Hits
2,712
Home Runs
339
RBI
1,493
Avg
.290
OPS
.810
View Dave Parker's full profile →

Career Stats Side-by-Side

Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich and Dave Parker. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.

Bobby Grich vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison — Career Stats Side-by-Side
Statistic Bobby Grich Dave Parker
Games 2,008 Leads: 2,466
At-Bats 6,890 Leads: 9,358
Runs 1,033 Leads: 1,272
Hits 1,833 Leads: 2,712
Doubles 320 Leads: 526
Triples 47 Leads: 75
Home Runs 224 Leads: 339
RBI 864 Leads: 1,493
Walks Leads: 1,087 683
Strikeouts not scored 1,278 1,537
Stolen Bases 104 Leads: 154
Batting Avg .266 Leads: .290
On-Base % Leads: .371 .339
Slugging % .424 Leads: .471
OPS .794 Leads: .810

PIV Comparison through 2025

By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker leads Bobby Grich 23,542 to 20,680 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dave Parker played 20 seasons to Bobby Grich's 17, while Bobby Grich carries the higher per-season figure (1,216 to 1,177). 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.

Bobby Grich
20,680
Career PIV · 1,216 per season (17 seasons)
Dave Parker
23,542
Career PIV · 1,177 per season (20 seasons)

How PIV is calculated →

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

1981.921 OPS22 HR, 61 RBI, .304 avg
1979.903 OPS30 HR, 101 RBI, .294 avg
1983.874 OPS16 HR, 62 RBI, .292 avg

Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS

1978.979 OPS30 HR, 117 RBI, .334 avg
1977.927 OPS21 HR, 88 RBI, .338 avg
1985.916 OPS34 HR, 125 RBI, .312 avg

Verdict

On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Grich owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker 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 Dave Parker careers compare

Bobby Grich and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1973 and 1986. With 2,008 games against 2,466 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bobby Grich's edges on the table are walks (1,087 to 683) and on-base percentage (.371 to .339). Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087); Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Dave Parker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Bobby Grich's on-base percentage of .371 tops Dave Parker's .339.

Bobby Grich vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions

Who was better, Bobby Grich or Dave Parker?
By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Bobby Grich in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
Did Bobby Grich or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
Dave Parker, with 339 to Bobby Grich's 224.
Who had the higher OPS?
Dave Parker, with .810 to Bobby Grich's .794.
Who had the higher batting average?
Dave Parker, with .290 to Bobby Grich's .266.
Who had more hits?
Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.