Graig Nettles vs Tim Raines: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 as a hitter; Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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
Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs; Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Raines, with .810 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Tim Raines, with 25,763 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Graig Nettles
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Tim Raines. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Graig Nettles | Tim Raines |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,700 | 2,502 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,986 | 8,872 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 1,571 |
| Hits | 2,225 | Leads: 2,605 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 430 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 390 | 170 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,314 | 980 |
| Walks | 1,088 | Leads: 1,330 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 966 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 808 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .385 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .425 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Raines outpaces Graig Nettles 25,763 to 12,470 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,073 PIV per season to 567, across 24 seasons to 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).
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines 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 Tim Raines. PIV agrees: Tim Raines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Graig Nettles and Tim Raines careers compare
The careers of Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Tim Raines (1979–2002) overlapped from 1979 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,700 games against 2,502 across 22 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Graig Nettles are games (2,700 to 2,502), at-bats (8,986 to 8,872), and home runs (390 to 170). Plate discipline differs: Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), but Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park.
Graig Nettles vs Tim Raines: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Tim Raines?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Graig Nettles in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Tim Raines hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Raines, with .810 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.