Paul Molitor vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor 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). Paul Molitor played 1978–1998 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
Paul Molitor (1978–1998) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 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? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Molitor, with .817 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Paul Molitor's 1,307.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Paul Molitor's 1.
Paul Molitor
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Molitor 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul Molitor | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,683 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,835 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,782 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,319 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 605 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 114 | 28 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | 1,307 | Leads: 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,094 | 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,244 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 504 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .448 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Graig Nettles 29,073 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,384 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Molitor 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).
Paul Molitor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Molitor. PIV agrees: Paul Molitor grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Molitor and Graig Nettles careers compare
The careers of Paul Molitor (1978–1998) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) overlapped from 1978 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,683 games against 2,700 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Graig Nettles are games (2,700 to 2,683), home runs (390 to 234), and RBI (1,314 to 1,307). Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Graig Nettles's hits: 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles.
Paul Molitor vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Molitor or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Graig Nettles in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Molitor or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Molitor, with .817 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.