Tim Raines vs Jim Rice: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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
Tim Raines (1979–2002) and Jim Rice (1974–1989) — both debuted in the 1970s. Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 leads the career comparison? Tim Raines, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Rice, with 382 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Rice, with 1,451 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Tim Raines's 25,763.
Tim Raines
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tim Raines and Jim Rice. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Tim Raines | Jim Rice |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,502 | 2,089 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,872 | 8,225 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,571 | 1,249 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,605 | 2,452 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 373 |
| Triples | Leads: 113 | 79 |
| Home Runs | 170 | Leads: 382 |
| RBI | 980 | Leads: 1,451 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,330 | 670 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 966 | 1,423 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 808 | 58 |
| Batting Avg | .294 | Leads: .298 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .385 | .352 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .502 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice leads Tim Raines 31,418 to 25,763 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 1,120 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Tim Raines's 23. 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).
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Tim Raines leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Jim Rice leads 5: home runs, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Jim Rice higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Raines and Jim Rice careers compare
Tim Raines and Jim Rice were active at the same time between 1979 and 1989. The two careers are close in length, 2,502 games for Tim Raines and 2,089 for Jim Rice across 23 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts), but Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Rice's hits: 170 of 2,605 for Tim Raines, 382 of 2,452 for Jim Rice.
Tim Raines vs Jim Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Raines or Jim Rice?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Jim Rice in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Tim Raines or Jim Rice hit more home runs?
- Jim Rice, with 382 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Tim Raines's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Jim Rice's 2,452.