Fred Lynn vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fred Lynn played 1974–1990 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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
Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both debuted in the 1970s. Fred Lynn finished with 1,960 hits and 306 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Dave Parker, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred Lynn, with .845 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Fred Lynn's 1,111.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred Lynn, with 25,648 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
Fred Lynn
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred Lynn and Dave Parker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Fred Lynn | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,969 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,925 | 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,063 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,960 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 388 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 43 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 306 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 1,111 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 857 | 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,116 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .484 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .845 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred Lynn leads Dave Parker 25,648 to 23,542 — driven by per-season impact — 1,509 PIV per season to 1,239 — rather than by longevity, since Fred Lynn played 17 seasons to Dave Parker's 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Fred Lynn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Dave Parker leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Fred Lynn leads 4: walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Fred Lynn higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred Lynn and Dave Parker careers compare
The careers of Fred Lynn (1974–1990) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) overlapped from 1974 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,969 games for Fred Lynn and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Fred Lynn's edges on the table are walks (857 to 683), on-base percentage (.360 to .339), and slugging percentage (.484 to .471). At the plate, Fred Lynn struck out more than walked (1,116 to 857), and Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Dave Parker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Fred Lynn vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred Lynn or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Fred Lynn in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred Lynn or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Fred Lynn's 306.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred Lynn, with .845 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Fred Lynn's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Fred Lynn's 1,960.