Ralph Kiner vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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
Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Joe Medwick, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ralph Kiner, with 35,424 career PIV to Joe Medwick's 28,897.
Ralph Kiner
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner and Joe Medwick. 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, and the 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ralph Kiner | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,472 | 1,984 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,205 | 7,635 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 369 | 205 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,011 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 42 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .548 | .505 |
| OPS | Leads: .946 | .867 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ralph Kiner leads Joe Medwick 35,424 to 28,897 — driven by per-season impact — 3,542 PIV per season to 1,700 — rather than by longevity, since Ralph Kiner played 10 seasons to Joe Medwick's 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).
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Joe Medwick leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Ralph Kiner leads 5: home runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ralph Kiner higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ralph Kiner and Joe Medwick careers compare
The careers of Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) overlapped from 1946 to 1948, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,472 games for Ralph Kiner and 1,984 for Joe Medwick across 10 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts), while Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Ralph Kiner is the more power-leaning hitter, with 369 of 1,451 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Ralph Kiner holds the edge, .548 to .505.
Ralph Kiner vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ralph Kiner or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Ralph Kiner in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Ralph Kiner or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.