Graig Nettles vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell 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; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — 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; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Graig Nettles
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Willie Stargell. 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 | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,700 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,986 | 7,927 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | 2,225 | Leads: 2,232 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 423 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,088 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 32 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .282 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Graig Nettles 42,804 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell 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 Willie Stargell careers compare
Graig Nettles and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1967 and 1982. The two careers are close in length, 2,700 games for Graig Nettles and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Graig Nettles are games (2,700 to 2,360), at-bats (8,986 to 7,927), and walks (1,088 to 937). Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088); Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). On the peak-season lists, Graig Nettles's best year is 1977 at .829 OPS and Willie Stargell's is 1973 at 1.038 OPS; Willie Stargell has the stronger single season.
Graig Nettles vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Graig Nettles in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Stargell, with 2,232 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.