Fred McGriff vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff 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). Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 as a hitter; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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 McGriff (1986–2004) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Fred McGriff's 1.
Fred McGriff
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and Graig Nettles. 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fred McGriff | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,460 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 8,757 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 328 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,305 | 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Graig Nettles 37,233 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,773 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Fred McGriff played 21 seasons to Graig Nettles's 22. 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).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred McGriff and Graig Nettles careers compare
Fred McGriff and Graig Nettles were active at the same time between 1986 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 2,460 games for Fred McGriff and 2,700 for Graig Nettles across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Graig Nettles's edges on the table are games (2,700 to 2,460), at-bats (8,986 to 8,757), and triples (28 to 24). Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). In slugging percentage, Fred McGriff holds the edge, .509 to .421.
Fred McGriff vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Graig Nettles in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.