Vladimir Guerrero vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Vladimir Guerrero 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). Vladimir Guerrero played 1996–2011 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
Vladimir Guerrero (1996–2011) and Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Vladimir Guerrero finished with 2,590 hits and 449 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? Vladimir Guerrero, with 449 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Vladimir Guerrero, with .931 to Tim Salmon's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Vladimir Guerrero, with .318 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Vladimir Guerrero, with 2,590 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Vladimir Guerrero, with 1,496 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Vladimir Guerrero, with 39,843 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Tim Salmon, with 1 World Series title to Vladimir Guerrero's 0.
Vladimir Guerrero
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vladimir Guerrero 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Vladimir Guerrero | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,147 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,155 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,328 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,590 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 477 | 339 |
| Triples | Leads: 46 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 449 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,496 | 1,016 |
| Walks | 737 | Leads: 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 985 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 181 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .379 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .553 | .498 |
| OPS | Leads: .931 | .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Vladimir Guerrero outpaces Tim Salmon 39,843 to 22,790 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,490 PIV per season to 1,628, across 16 seasons to 14. 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).
Vladimir Guerrero — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vladimir Guerrero leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Vladimir Guerrero. PIV agrees: Vladimir Guerrero grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vladimir Guerrero and Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1996 through 2006, Vladimir Guerrero and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,147 games for Vladimir Guerrero and 1,672 for Tim Salmon across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tim Salmon's edges on the table are walks (970 to 737) and on-base percentage (.385 to .379). At the plate, Vladimir Guerrero struck out more than walked (985 to 737), and Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). Vladimir Guerrero was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Vladimir Guerrero's slugging percentage of .553 tops Tim Salmon's .498.
Vladimir Guerrero vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vladimir Guerrero or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Vladimir Guerrero leads Tim Salmon in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vladimir Guerrero or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with 449 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with .931 to Tim Salmon's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with .318 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Vladimir Guerrero, with 2,590 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.