Fred McGriff vs John Olerud: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 as a hitter; John Olerud played 1989–2005 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 John Olerud (1989–2005) — both debuted in the 1980s. Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs; John Olerud finished with 2,239 hits and 255 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Fred McGriff, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to John Olerud's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to John Olerud's .863.
- Who had the higher batting average? John Olerud, with .295 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to John Olerud's 2,239.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to John Olerud's 1,230.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to John Olerud's 28,281.
Fred McGriff
John Olerud
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Fred McGriff and John Olerud. 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 McGriff | John Olerud |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,460 | 2,234 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,757 | 7,592 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,349 | 1,139 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,490 | 2,239 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 500 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 13 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 493 | 255 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,550 | 1,230 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,305 | 1,275 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,882 | 1,016 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 72 | 11 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .398 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .465 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .863 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff leads John Olerud 37,233 to 28,281 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,960 PIV per season to 1,664, across 19 seasons to 17. 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 McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
John Olerud — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Fred McGriff leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, home runs, and others. John Olerud leads 3: doubles, batting average, and on-base percentage. 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 John Olerud careers compare
The careers of Fred McGriff (1986–2004) and John Olerud (1989–2005) overlapped from 1989 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,460 games for Fred McGriff and 2,234 for John Olerud across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where John Olerud comes out ahead, it is in doubles (500 to 441), batting average (.295 to .284), and on-base percentage (.398 to .377). At the plate, Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305), while John Olerud walked more often than struck out (1,275 walks, 1,016 strikeouts).
Fred McGriff vs John Olerud: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fred McGriff or John Olerud?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads John Olerud in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Fred McGriff or John Olerud hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to John Olerud's 255.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to John Olerud's .863.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John Olerud, with .295 to Fred McGriff's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to John Olerud's 2,239.