Carlos Lee vs Bernie Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Bernie Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Bernie Williams played 1991–2006 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 Bernie Williams (1991–2006) — 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; Bernie Williams finished with 2,336 hits and 287 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 Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bernie Williams, with .858 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bernie Williams, with .297 to Carlos Lee's .285.
- Who had more hits? Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Carlos Lee's 2,273.
- Who drove in more runs? Carlos Lee, with 1,363 to Bernie Williams's 1,257.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bernie Williams, with 24,401 career PIV to Carlos Lee's 13,870.
- Who won more championships? Bernie Williams, with 4 World Series titles to Carlos Lee's 0.
Carlos Lee
Bernie Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlos Lee and Bernie Williams. 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 | Bernie Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,099 | 2,076 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,983 | 7,869 |
| Runs | 1,125 | Leads: 1,366 |
| Hits | 2,273 | Leads: 2,336 |
| Doubles | Leads: 469 | 449 |
| Triples | 19 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 358 | 287 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,363 | 1,257 |
| Walks | 655 | Leads: 1,069 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 984 | 1,212 |
| Stolen Bases | 125 | Leads: 147 |
| Batting Avg | .285 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .381 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .483 | .477 |
| OPS | .821 | Leads: .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bernie Williams outpaces Carlos Lee 24,401 to 13,870 — driven by per-season impact — 1,525 PIV per season to 867 — rather than by longevity, since Bernie Williams played 16 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
Bernie Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bernie Williams leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Carlos Lee owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bernie Williams. PIV agrees: Bernie Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carlos Lee and Bernie Williams careers compare
From 1999 through 2006, Carlos Lee and Bernie Williams were in the majors together. With 2,099 games against 2,076 across 16 and 16 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 Bernie Williams struck out more than walked (1,212 to 1,069). On the bases, Bernie Williams stole more often per game played (125 steals in 2,099 games for Carlos Lee, 147 in 2,076 for Bernie Williams). In slugging percentage, Carlos Lee holds the edge, .483 to .477.
Carlos Lee vs Bernie Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlos Lee or Bernie Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bernie Williams leads Carlos Lee in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlos Lee or Bernie Williams hit more home runs?
- Carlos Lee, with 358 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bernie Williams, with .858 to Carlos Lee's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bernie Williams, with .297 to Carlos Lee's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Carlos Lee's 2,273.