Graig Nettles vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose 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). Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Pete Rose, with .784 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Neither — both are at 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Graig Nettles's 2.
Graig Nettles
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Pete Rose. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Graig Nettles | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,700 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 8,986 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,225 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 390 | 160 |
| RBI | 1,314 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,088 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .421 | .409 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Graig Nettles 40,772 to 12,470 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 567, across 25 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose 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 Pete Rose careers compare
The careers of Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) overlapped from 1967 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,700 games against 3,562 across 22 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Graig Nettles are home runs (390 to 160) and slugging percentage (.421 to .409). Plate discipline differs: Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), but Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Graig Nettles vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Graig Nettles in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Pete Rose, with .784 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.