Paul Molitor vs Ben Oglivie: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Molitor has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Ben Oglivie played 1971–1986 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 Ben Oglivie (1971–1986) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 home runs; Ben Oglivie finished with 1,615 hits and 235 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ben Oglivie, with 235 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Paul Molitor, with .817 to Ben Oglivie's .786.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Ben Oglivie's .273.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Ben Oglivie's 1,615.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Ben Oglivie's 901.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Ben Oglivie's 12,243.
- Who won more championships? Paul Molitor, with 1 World Series title to Ben Oglivie's 0.
Paul Molitor
Ben Oglivie
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Molitor and Ben Oglivie. 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 | Paul Molitor | Ben Oglivie |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,683 | 1,754 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,835 | 5,913 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,782 | 784 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,319 | 1,615 |
| Doubles | Leads: 605 | 277 |
| Triples | Leads: 114 | 33 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 235 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,307 | 901 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,094 | 560 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,244 | 852 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 504 | 87 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .336 |
| Slugging % | .448 | Leads: .450 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .786 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Ben Oglivie 29,073 to 12,243 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,384 PIV per season to 765, across 21 seasons to 16. 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
Ben Oglivie — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ben Oglivie owns home runs. 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 Ben Oglivie careers compare
Paul Molitor and Ben Oglivie were active at the same time between 1978 and 1986. Paul Molitor has the far longer record, 2,683 games against 1,754 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ben Oglivie's edges on the table are home runs (235 to 234) and slugging percentage (.450 to .448). Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094); Ben Oglivie struck out more than walked (852 to 560). Home runs make up a larger share of Ben Oglivie's hits: 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor, 235 of 1,615 for Ben Oglivie.
Paul Molitor vs Ben Oglivie: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Molitor or Ben Oglivie?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Ben Oglivie in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Molitor or Ben Oglivie hit more home runs?
- Ben Oglivie, with 235 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Paul Molitor, with .817 to Ben Oglivie's .786.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Ben Oglivie's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Ben Oglivie's 1,615.