Ernie Lombardi vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Lombardi 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). Ernie Lombardi played 1931–1947 as a hitter; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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 Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Lombardi finished with 1,792 hits and 190 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Lombardi, with 990 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buster Posey, with 15,615 career PIV to Ernie Lombardi's 15,583.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Ernie Lombardi's 1.
Ernie Lombardi
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Lombardi and Buster Posey. 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 1930s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Lombardi | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,853 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,855 | 4,970 |
| Runs | 601 | Leads: 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,792 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 27 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 190 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 990 | 729 |
| Walks | 430 | Leads: 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 262 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | 8 | Leads: 23 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .302 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .460 | .460 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buster Posey edges Ernie Lombardi 15,615 to 15,583 — driven by per-season impact — 1,301 PIV per season to 917 — rather than by longevity, since Buster Posey played 12 seasons to Ernie Lombardi's 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
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Buster Posey leads in runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Ernie Lombardi owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Buster Posey. PIV agrees: Buster Posey 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 Buster Posey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ernie Lombardi's ended in 1947, and Buster Posey debuted in 2009. With 1,853 games against 1,371 across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ernie Lombardi walked more often than struck out (430 walks, 262 strikeouts), while Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). In on-base percentage, Buster Posey holds the edge, .372 to .358. Buster Posey owns the better peak by OPS: .918 OPS in 1935 for Ernie Lombardi against .957 OPS in 2012 for Buster Posey.
Ernie Lombardi vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Lombardi or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Lombardi leads Buster Posey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Lombardi or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 190 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Ernie Lombardi's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ernie Lombardi, with .306 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Lombardi, with 1,792 to Buster Posey's 1,500.