Dale Murphy vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1970s. 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 leads the career comparison? Dave Parker, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- 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.
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. 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 | Dale Murphy | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,180 | 2,466 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,960 | 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 not scored | 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 — driven by per-season impact — 1,357 PIV per season to 1,239 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 18 seasons to Dave Parker's 19. 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
Dave Parker leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Dale Murphy leads 5: home runs, walks, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Dale Murphy higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dale Murphy and Dave Parker careers compare
The careers of Dale Murphy (1976–1993) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) overlapped from 1976 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Dale Murphy and 2,466 for Dave Parker across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986); Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Dale Murphy is the more power-leaning hitter, with 398 of 2,111 hits leaving the park.
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 7 of the 12 scored 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.