Carlos Lee vs Tim Salmon: Career Stats Comparison
Carlos Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlos Lee played 1999–2012 as a hitter; Tim Salmon played 1992–2006 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
Carlos Lee (1999–2012) and Tim Salmon (1992–2006) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Carlos Lee finished with 2,273 hits and 358 home runs; Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carlos Lee, with 358 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carlos Lee, with .285 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Lee, with 1,363 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Salmon, with 22,790 career PIV to Carlos Lee's 13,870.
- Who won more championships? Tim Salmon, with 1 World Series title to Carlos Lee's 0.
Carlos Lee
Tim Salmon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Lee and Tim Salmon. 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 | Carlos Lee | Tim Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,099 | 1,672 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,983 | 5,934 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,125 | 986 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,273 | 1,674 |
| Doubles | Leads: 469 | 339 |
| Triples | 19 | Leads: 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 358 | 299 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,363 | 1,016 |
| Walks | 655 | Leads: 970 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 984 | 1,360 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 125 | 48 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .483 | Leads: .498 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Salmon outpaces Carlos Lee 22,790 to 13,870 — driven by per-season impact — 1,628 PIV per season to 867 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Salmon played 14 seasons to Carlos Lee's 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).
Carlos Lee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carlos Lee leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Tim Salmon owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carlos Lee. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Salmon ahead, which means Carlos Lee's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Lee and Tim Salmon careers compare
From 1999 through 2006, Carlos Lee and Tim Salmon were in the majors together. With 2,099 games against 1,672 across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Carlos Lee struck out more than walked (984 to 655), and Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970). On the bases, Carlos Lee stole more often per game played (125 steals in 2,099 games for Carlos Lee, 48 in 1,672 for Tim Salmon). Tim Salmon's slugging percentage of .498 tops Carlos Lee's .483.
Carlos Lee vs Tim Salmon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Lee or Tim Salmon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carlos Lee leads Tim Salmon in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Lee or Tim Salmon hit more home runs?
- Carlos Lee, with 358 to Tim Salmon's 299.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carlos Lee, with .285 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Carlos Lee, with 2,273 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.