Bill Madlock vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Bill Madlock played 1973–1987 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
Bill Madlock (1973–1987) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Bill Madlock finished with 2,008 hits and 163 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 hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Bill Madlock's 163.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Bill Madlock's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bill Madlock, with .305 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Bill Madlock's 2,008.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Bill Madlock's 860.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Bill Madlock's 17,798.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Bill Madlock's 1.
Bill Madlock
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bill Madlock and Dave Parker. 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 | Bill Madlock | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,806 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 6,594 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 920 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,008 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 348 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 34 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 163 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 860 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | 605 | Leads: 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 510 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 174 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .365 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .442 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .807 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker leads Bill Madlock 23,542 to 17,798 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,177 PIV per season to 989, across 20 seasons to 18. 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).
Bill Madlock — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bill Madlock owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bill Madlock and Dave Parker careers compare
Bill Madlock and Dave Parker were active at the same time between 1973 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 1,806 games for Bill Madlock and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Bill Madlock comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (174 to 154), batting average (.305 to .290), and on-base percentage (.365 to .339). At the plate, Bill Madlock walked more often than struck out (605 walks, 510 strikeouts), while Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683).
Bill Madlock vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bill Madlock or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Bill Madlock in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bill Madlock or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Bill Madlock's 163.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Parker, with .810 to Bill Madlock's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bill Madlock, with .305 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Bill Madlock's 2,008.