Paul Konerko vs Carlos Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Konerko has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Paul Konerko played 1997–2014 as a hitter; Carlos Lee played 1999–2012 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
Paul Konerko (1997–2014) and Carlos Lee (1999–2012) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Paul Konerko finished with 2,340 hits and 439 home runs; Carlos Lee finished with 2,273 hits and 358 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Paul Konerko, with 439 to Carlos Lee's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Konerko, with .841 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Lee, with .285 to Paul Konerko's .279.
- Who had more hits? Paul Konerko, with 2,340 to Carlos Lee's 2,273.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Konerko, with 1,412 to Carlos Lee's 1,363.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Konerko, with 22,710 career PIV to Carlos Lee's 13,870.
- Who won more championships? Paul Konerko, with 1 World Series title to Carlos Lee's 0.
Paul Konerko
Carlos Lee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee. 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 | Paul Konerko | Carlos Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,349 | 2,099 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,393 | 7,983 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,162 | 1,125 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,273 |
| Doubles | 410 | Leads: 469 |
| Triples | 8 | Leads: 19 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 439 | 358 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,412 | 1,363 |
| Walks | Leads: 921 | 655 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,391 | 984 |
| Stolen Bases | 9 | Leads: 125 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .354 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .486 | .483 |
| OPS | Leads: .841 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Konerko outpaces Carlos Lee 22,710 to 13,870 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,195 PIV per season to 867, across 19 seasons to 16. 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).
Paul Konerko — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carlos Lee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Konerko leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Carlos Lee owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Konerko. PIV agrees: Paul Konerko grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee careers compare
From 1999 through 2012, Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,349 games for Paul Konerko and 2,099 for Carlos Lee across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Carlos Lee's edges on the table are doubles (469 to 410), triples (19 to 8), and stolen bases (125 to 9). Paul Konerko struck out more than walked (1,391 to 921); Carlos Lee struck out more than walked (984 to 655). On the bases, Carlos Lee stole more often per game played (9 steals in 2,349 games for Paul Konerko, 125 in 2,099 for Carlos Lee).
Paul Konerko vs Carlos Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Konerko or Carlos Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Konerko leads Carlos Lee in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Konerko or Carlos Lee hit more home runs?
- Paul Konerko, with 439 to Carlos Lee's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Konerko, with .841 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Lee, with .285 to Paul Konerko's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Konerko, with 2,340 to Carlos Lee's 2,273.