Dave Parker vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Dave Parker played 1973–1991 as a hitter; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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 Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 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 Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dave Parker, with .810 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits? Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Dave Parker's 2,712.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Rusty Staub's 1,466.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rusty Staub, with 30,346 career PIV to Dave Parker's 23,542.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Rusty Staub's 0.
Dave Parker
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dave Parker and Rusty Staub. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Parker | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,466 | Leads: 2,951 |
| At-Bats | 9,358 | Leads: 9,720 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,272 | 1,189 |
| Hits | 2,712 | Leads: 2,716 |
| Doubles | Leads: 526 | 499 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 339 | 292 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,493 | 1,466 |
| Walks | 683 | Leads: 1,255 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,537 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 154 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .279 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .471 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .810 | .793 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rusty Staub leads Dave Parker 30,346 to 23,542 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,264 PIV per season to 1,177, across 24 seasons to 20. 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).
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Rusty Staub owns hits and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. Note that PIV actually grades Rusty Staub ahead, which means Dave Parker's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Parker and Rusty Staub careers compare
The careers of Dave Parker (1973–1991) and Rusty Staub (1963–1985) overlapped from 1973 to 1985, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,466 games for Dave Parker and 2,951 for Rusty Staub across 20 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683), but Rusty Staub walked more often than struck out (1,255 walks, 888 strikeouts). Dave Parker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Dave Parker's slugging percentage of .471 tops Rusty Staub's .431.
Dave Parker vs Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Parker or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Rusty Staub in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dave Parker or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dave Parker, with .810 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Dave Parker's 2,712.