Dave Parker vs Ken Singleton: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Dave Parker played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Ken Singleton played 1970–1984 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 Ken Singleton (1970–1984) — 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; Ken Singleton finished with 2,029 hits and 246 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Singleton, with .824 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Ken Singleton's 1,065.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Singleton, with 29,530 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Singleton's 1.
Dave Parker
Ken Singleton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Parker and Ken Singleton. 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 | Ken Singleton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,466 | 2,082 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,358 | 7,189 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,272 | 985 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,712 | 2,029 |
| Doubles | Leads: 526 | 317 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 339 | 246 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,493 | 1,065 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 1,263 |
| Strikeouts | 1,537 | 1,246 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 154 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .436 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .824 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Singleton leads Dave Parker 29,530 to 23,542 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,969 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
Ken Singleton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ken Singleton owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. Note that PIV actually grades Ken Singleton ahead, which means Dave Parker's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Dave Parker vs Ken Singleton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Parker or Ken Singleton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Ken Singleton in 11 of 14 categories.
- Did Dave Parker or Ken Singleton hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Ken Singleton's 246.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Singleton, with .824 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Ken Singleton's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Ken Singleton's 2,029.