Ernie Lombardi vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947 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
Ernie Lombardi (1931–1947) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 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 hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Ernie Lombardi's 190.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Ernie Lombardi's 990.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Ernie Lombardi
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Lombardi and Joe Medwick. 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 | Ernie Lombardi | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,853 | Leads: 1,984 |
| At-Bats | 5,855 | Leads: 7,635 |
| Runs | 601 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 1,792 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | 190 | Leads: 205 |
| RBI | 990 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | 430 | Leads: 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 262 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 42 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | .460 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick outpaces Ernie Lombardi 28,897 to 15,583 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,445 PIV per season to 917, across 20 seasons to 17. 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).
Ernie Lombardi — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ernie Lombardi owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Lombardi and Joe Medwick careers compare
Ernie Lombardi and Joe Medwick were active at the same time between 1932 and 1947. With 1,853 games against 1,984 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Medwick leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts), while Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). In slugging percentage, Joe Medwick holds the edge, .505 to .460. On the peak-season lists, Ernie Lombardi's best year is 1935 at .918 OPS and Joe Medwick's is 1937 at 1.056 OPS; Joe Medwick has the stronger single season.
Ernie Lombardi vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Lombardi or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Ernie Lombardi in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Lombardi or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Ernie Lombardi's 190.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Ernie Lombardi's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Ernie Lombardi's 1,792.