Jim Rice vs Cal Ripken: Career Stats Comparison
Cal Ripken has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jim Rice played 1974–1989 as a hitter; Cal Ripken played 1981–2001 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
Jim Rice (1974–1989) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jim Rice finished with 2,452 hits and 382 home runs; Cal Ripken finished with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cal Ripken, with 431 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Rice, with .854 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jim Rice, with .298 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits? Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Jim Rice's 2,452.
- Who drove in more runs? Cal Ripken, with 1,695 to Jim Rice's 1,451.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Rice, with 31,418 career PIV to Cal Ripken's 19,199.
- Who won more championships? Cal Ripken, with 1 World Series title to Jim Rice's 0.
Cal Ripken
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Rice and Cal Ripken. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Rice | Cal Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,089 | Leads: 3,001 |
| At-Bats | 8,225 | Leads: 11,551 |
| Runs | 1,249 | Leads: 1,647 |
| Hits | 2,452 | Leads: 3,184 |
| Doubles | 373 | Leads: 603 |
| Triples | Leads: 79 | 44 |
| Home Runs | 382 | Leads: 431 |
| RBI | 1,451 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks | 670 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,423 | 1,305 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .352 | .340 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .502 | .447 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .788 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Rice outpaces Cal Ripken 31,418 to 19,199 — driven by per-season impact — 1,964 PIV per season to 914 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Rice played 16 seasons to Cal Ripken's 21. 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).
Jim Rice — top 3 seasons by OPS
Cal Ripken — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Rice leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Cal Ripken owns hits, home runs, and RBI. 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
How the Jim Rice and Cal Ripken careers compare
The careers of Jim Rice (1974–1989) and Cal Ripken (1981–2001) overlapped from 1981 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,089 games against 3,001 across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jim Rice struck out more than walked (1,423 to 670), and Cal Ripken struck out more than walked (1,305 to 1,129). In on-base percentage, Jim Rice holds the edge, .352 to .340. On the peak-season lists, Jim Rice's best year is 1979 at .977 OPS and Cal Ripken's is 1999 at .952 OPS; Jim Rice has the stronger single season.
Jim Rice vs Cal Ripken: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Rice or Cal Ripken?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cal Ripken leads Jim Rice in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Rice or Cal Ripken hit more home runs?
- Cal Ripken, with 431 to Jim Rice's 382.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Rice, with .854 to Cal Ripken's .788.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jim Rice, with .298 to Cal Ripken's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Cal Ripken, with 3,184 to Jim Rice's 2,452.