Joe Medwick vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner 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). Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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
Joe Medwick (1932–1948) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they debuted in the 1930s and the 1920s respectively and share 14 seasons. Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Paul Waner, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Waner, with .878 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Joe Medwick's .324.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Paul Waner's 1,309.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Waner, with 40,296 career PIV to Joe Medwick's 28,897.
Joe Medwick
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Medwick and Paul Waner. 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 | Joe Medwick | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,984 | 2,549 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,635 | 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,198 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,471 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 540 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 113 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 205 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,383 | 1,309 |
| Walks | 437 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 551 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 42 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | .324 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .473 |
| OPS | .867 | Leads: .878 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Waner outpaces Joe Medwick 40,296 to 28,897 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,015 PIV per season to 1,700, across 20 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).
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Paul Waner leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Joe Medwick leads 3: home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV agrees: Paul Waner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Medwick and Paul Waner careers compare
From 1932 through 1945, Joe Medwick and Paul Waner were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,984 games for Joe Medwick and 2,549 for Paul Waner across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Joe Medwick are home runs (205 to 113), RBI (1,383 to 1,309), and slugging percentage (.505 to .473). At the plate, Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437), while Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Joe Medwick is the more power-leaning hitter, with 205 of 2,471 hits leaving the park.
Joe Medwick vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Medwick or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Joe Medwick in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Joe Medwick or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Waner, with .878 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Joe Medwick's .324.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.