Graig Nettles vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Scott Rolen has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; 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
Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 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? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Scott Rolen, with .855 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Scott Rolen, with .281 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Graig Nettles, with 1,314 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Scott Rolen, with 20,867 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Scott Rolen's 1.
Graig Nettles
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles 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 1960s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Graig Nettles | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,700 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,986 | 7,398 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,225 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 390 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,314 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,088 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .281 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .364 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Scott Rolen outpaces Graig Nettles 20,867 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,098 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Scott Rolen played 19 seasons to Graig Nettles's 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Scott Rolen leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Graig Nettles owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Scott Rolen. PIV agrees: Scott Rolen 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
No season is shared: Graig Nettles played 1967–1988, Scott Rolen 1996–2012. With 2,700 games against 2,038 across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), and Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). On the bases, Scott Rolen stole more often per game played (32 steals in 2,700 games for Graig Nettles, 118 in 2,038 for Scott Rolen). In slugging percentage, Scott Rolen holds the edge, .490 to .421.
Graig Nettles vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Scott Rolen leads Graig Nettles in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Scott Rolen, with .855 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Scott Rolen, with .281 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.