Al Kaline vs Reggie Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 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
Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Reggie Smith (1966–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 9 seasons. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
Al Kaline
Reggie Smith
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Reggie Smith. 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 | Al Kaline | Reggie Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 1,987 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 7,033 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,123 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,020 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 363 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 57 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 314 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,092 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 890 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,030 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .287 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .366 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Reggie Smith 45,087 to 32,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,890, across 22 seasons to 17. 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).
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Reggie Smith leads 1: slugging percentage. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Kaline and Reggie Smith careers compare
The careers of Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Reggie Smith (1966–1982) overlapped from 1966 to 1974, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,834 games against 1,987 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Reggie Smith comes out ahead, it is in slugging percentage (.489 to .480). Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890). On the bases, Reggie Smith stole more often per game played (137 steals in 2,834 games for Al Kaline, 137 in 1,987 for Reggie Smith).
Al Kaline vs Reggie Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Reggie Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Reggie Smith in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Reggie Smith hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Reggie Smith's .287.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.