Paul Molitor vs Scott Rolen: 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; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits and 234 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Scott Rolen, with 316 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Scott Rolen, with .855 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Molitor, with .306 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Paul Molitor, with 1,307 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Paul Molitor, with 29,073 career PIV to Scott Rolen's 20,867.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Paul Molitor
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Paul Molitor and Scott Rolen. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul Molitor | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,683 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,835 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,782 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,319 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | Leads: 605 | 517 |
| Triples | Leads: 114 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,307 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,094 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,244 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 504 | 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .364 |
| Slugging % | .448 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Molitor outpaces Scott Rolen 29,073 to 20,867 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,384 PIV per season to 1,098, across 21 seasons to 19. 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Molitor leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Scott Rolen owns home runs and OPS. 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
From 1996 through 1998, Paul Molitor and Scott Rolen were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,683 games for Paul Molitor and 2,038 for Scott Rolen across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Scott Rolen are home runs (316 to 234), slugging percentage (.490 to .448), and OPS (.855 to .817). Paul Molitor struck out more than walked (1,244 to 1,094); Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). Home runs make up a larger share of Scott Rolen's hits: 234 of 3,319 for Paul Molitor, 316 of 2,077 for Scott Rolen.
Paul Molitor vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Molitor or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Molitor leads Scott Rolen in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Paul Molitor or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Scott Rolen, with 316 to Paul Molitor's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Scott Rolen, with .855 to Paul Molitor's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Molitor, with .306 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Molitor, with 3,319 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.