Barry Larkin vs Joe Sewell: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Joe Sewell played 1920–1933 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Joe Sewell (1920–1933) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Joe Sewell finished with 2,226 hits and 49 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Barry Larkin, with 198 to Joe Sewell's 49.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Larkin, with .815 to Joe Sewell's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Sewell, with .312 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Joe Sewell's 2,226.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Sewell, with 1,055 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Larkin, with 17,788 career PIV to Joe Sewell's 15,785.
- Who won more championships? Joe Sewell, with 2 World Series titles to Barry Larkin's 1.
Barry Larkin
Joe Sewell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Joe Sewell. 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 1980s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Joe Sewell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,903 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 7,132 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,141 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,226 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 436 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 68 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 49 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,055 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 842 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 114 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 74 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .444 | .413 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .804 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Larkin leads Joe Sewell 17,788 to 15,785 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Barry Larkin played 19 seasons to Joe Sewell's 14, while Joe Sewell carries the higher per-season figure (1,128 to 936). 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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Sewell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Joe Sewell owns RBI, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Larkin. PIV agrees: Barry Larkin grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Joe Sewell careers compare
No season is shared: Joe Sewell played 1920–1933, Barry Larkin 1986–2004. With 2,180 games against 1,903 across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Sewell's edges on the table are RBI (1,055 to 960), batting average (.312 to .295), and on-base percentage (.391 to .371). At the plate, Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), and Joe Sewell walked more often than struck out (842 walks, 114 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Barry Larkin's hits: 198 of 2,340 for Barry Larkin, 49 of 2,226 for Joe Sewell.
Barry Larkin vs Joe Sewell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Joe Sewell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Joe Sewell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Joe Sewell hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Joe Sewell's 49.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Larkin, with .815 to Joe Sewell's .804.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Sewell, with .312 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Joe Sewell's 2,226.