Graig Nettles vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Schmidt has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — 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; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Schmidt, with .267 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Schmidt, with 49,630 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Mike Schmidt's 1.
Graig Nettles
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Mike Schmidt. 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 | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,700 | 2,404 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,986 | 8,352 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 1,506 |
| Hits | 2,225 | Leads: 2,234 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 408 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 1,088 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 174 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .527 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Schmidt outpaces Graig Nettles 49,630 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 2,757 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Schmidt played 18 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
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Schmidt leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Schmidt. PIV agrees: Mike Schmidt 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
From 1972 through 1988, Graig Nettles and Mike Schmidt were in the majors together. With 2,700 games against 2,404 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Graig Nettles comes out ahead, it is in games (2,700 to 2,404) and at-bats (8,986 to 8,352). At the plate, Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), and Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park. Mike Schmidt was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mike Schmidt's on-base percentage of .380 tops Graig Nettles's .329.
Graig Nettles vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Schmidt leads Graig Nettles in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Schmidt, with .908 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Schmidt, with .267 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Schmidt, with 2,234 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.