Tim Raines vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Raines 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). Tim Raines played 1979–2002 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
Tim Raines (1979–2002) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Tim Raines finished with 2,605 hits and 170 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 Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Tim Raines, with .294 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Tim Raines's 980.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Tim Raines's 25,763.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Tim Raines
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tim Raines 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, 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 | Tim Raines | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,502 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,872 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,571 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,605 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 113 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 170 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 980 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,330 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 966 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 808 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .385 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .425 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .810 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Tim Raines 42,804 to 25,763 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 1,073 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Tim Raines's 24. 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).
Tim Raines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Raines leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Willie Stargell owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Raines. Note that PIV actually grades Willie Stargell ahead, which means Tim Raines's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Raines and Willie Stargell careers compare
Tim Raines and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1979 and 1982. The two careers are close in length, 2,502 games for Tim Raines and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Willie Stargell comes out ahead, it is in home runs (475 to 170), RBI (1,540 to 980), and slugging percentage (.529 to .425). Plate discipline differs: Tim Raines walked more often than struck out (1,330 walks, 966 strikeouts), but Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park.
Tim Raines vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Raines or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Raines leads Willie Stargell in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tim Raines or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Tim Raines's 170.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Tim Raines's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Tim Raines, with .294 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Tim Raines, with 2,605 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.