Frank Howard vs Dave Winfield: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Winfield 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). Frank Howard played 1958–1973 as a hitter; Dave Winfield played 1973–1995 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
Frank Howard (1958–1973) and Dave Winfield (1973–1995) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Howard finished with 1,774 hits and 382 home runs; Dave Winfield finished with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Winfield, with 465 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Howard, with .851 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Winfield, with .283 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits? Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Frank Howard's 1,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Winfield, with 1,833 to Frank Howard's 1,119.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Winfield, with 34,842 career PIV to Frank Howard's 30,024.
- Who won more championships? Frank Howard, with 2 World Series titles to Dave Winfield's 1.
Frank Howard
Dave Winfield
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Howard and Dave Winfield. 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 1950s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Howard | Dave Winfield |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,895 | Leads: 2,973 |
| At-Bats | 6,488 | Leads: 11,003 |
| Runs | 864 | Leads: 1,669 |
| Hits | 1,774 | Leads: 3,110 |
| Doubles | 245 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 88 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 465 |
| RBI | 1,119 | Leads: 1,833 |
| Walks | 782 | Leads: 1,216 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,460 | 1,686 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 223 |
| Batting Avg | .273 | Leads: .283 |
| On-Base % | .352 | Leads: .353 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .851 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Winfield leads Frank Howard 34,842 to 30,024 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dave Winfield played 23 seasons to Frank Howard's 17, while Frank Howard carries the higher per-season figure (1,766 to 1,515). 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).
Frank Howard — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Winfield — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Winfield leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Frank Howard owns OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Winfield. PIV agrees: Dave Winfield grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Howard and Dave Winfield careers compare
Frank Howard and Dave Winfield were active at the same time between 1973 and 1973. Dave Winfield has the far longer record, 2,973 games against 1,895 across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Frank Howard's edges on the table are slugging percentage (.499 to .475) and OPS (.851 to .827). Frank Howard struck out more than walked (1,460 to 782); Dave Winfield struck out more than walked (1,686 to 1,216). Home runs make up a larger share of Frank Howard's hits: 382 of 1,774 for Frank Howard, 465 of 3,110 for Dave Winfield. Dave Winfield was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Frank Howard vs Dave Winfield: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Howard or Dave Winfield?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Winfield leads Frank Howard in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Frank Howard or Dave Winfield hit more home runs?
- Dave Winfield, with 465 to Frank Howard's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Howard, with .851 to Dave Winfield's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Winfield, with .283 to Frank Howard's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Winfield, with 3,110 to Frank Howard's 1,774.