Tony Gwynn vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Tony Gwynn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tony Gwynn played 1982–2001 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
Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1970s respectively and share 10 seasons. Tony Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits and 135 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 leads the career comparison? Tony Gwynn, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits? Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Dave Parker's 2,712.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Tony Gwynn's 1,138.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tony Gwynn, with 30,602 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
Tony Gwynn
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tony Gwynn and Dave Parker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Tony Gwynn | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,440 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,288 | 9,358 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,383 | 1,272 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,141 | 2,712 |
| Doubles | Leads: 543 | 526 |
| Triples | Leads: 85 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 135 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,138 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 790 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 434 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 319 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .338 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .459 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tony Gwynn leads Dave Parker 30,602 to 23,542 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,530 PIV per season to 1,239, across 20 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Tony Gwynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Tony Gwynn leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Dave Parker leads 3: home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tony Gwynn. PIV agrees: Tony Gwynn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tony Gwynn and Dave Parker careers compare
The careers of Tony Gwynn (1982–2001) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) overlapped from 1982 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,440 games for Tony Gwynn and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Dave Parker comes out ahead, it is in home runs (339 to 135), RBI (1,493 to 1,138), and slugging percentage (.471 to .459). At the plate, Tony Gwynn walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 434 strikeouts), while Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683).
Tony Gwynn vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tony Gwynn or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tony Gwynn leads Dave Parker in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Tony Gwynn or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Tony Gwynn's 135.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tony Gwynn, with .847 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tony Gwynn, with .338 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Tony Gwynn, with 3,141 to Dave Parker's 2,712.