Dave Parker vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Dave Parker played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Jim Rice played 1974–1989 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
Dave Parker (1973–1991) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs; Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Jim Rice's 0.
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Parker and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Parker | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,466 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,358 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,272 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,712 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 526 | 373 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 79 |
| Home Runs | 339 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,493 | 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 683 | 670 |
| Strikeouts | 1,537 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 154 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .352 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Dave Parker 31,418 to 23,542 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,964 vs 1,177 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Dave Parker owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Rice. PIV agrees: Jim Rice grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Dave Parker vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Parker or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Jim Rice in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Dave Parker or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Dave Parker's 339.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Dave Parker's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Jim Rice's 2,452.