Dale Murphy vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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
Dale Murphy (1976–1993) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Dale Murphy's 0.
Dale Murphy
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dale Murphy and Dave Parker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dale Murphy | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 7,960 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 1,197 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 2,111 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 350 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 398 | 339 |
| RBI | 1,266 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | Leads: 986 | 683 |
| Strikeouts | 1,748 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 161 | 154 |
| Batting Avg | .265 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .346 | .339 |
| Slugging % | .469 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .810 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy edges Dave Parker 24,431 to 23,542 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,286 vs 1,177 per year). 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).
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Dave Parker owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dale Murphy. PIV agrees: Dale Murphy grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Dale Murphy vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dale Murphy or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Dale Murphy in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Dale Murphy or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.