J. R. Richard vs Bob Watson: Career Stats Comparison
J. R. Richard and Bob Watson played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 as a pitcher; Bob Watson played 1966–1984 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
J. R. Richard (1971–1980) and Bob Watson (1966–1984) played opposite sides of the ball, so there is no honest category-by-category scoreboard for this matchup. J. R. Richard pitched, totalling 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts; Bob Watson hit, totalling 1,826 hits and 184 home runs. Each career is shown below in its own discipline, with PIV as the one measure that spans both roles.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career PIV? J. R. Richard, with 38,918 career PIV to Bob Watson's 19,589.
J. R. Richard
Bob Watson
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
J. R. Richard is shown on pitching lines and Bob Watson on batting lines. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because these two cards measure different jobs — reading them cell against cell would tell you nothing.
J. R. Richard — Pitcher
| Statistic | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|
| Wins | 107 |
| Losses | 71 |
| Games | 238 |
| Games Started | 221 |
| Complete Games | 76 |
| Shutouts | 19 |
| Saves | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,493 |
| Walks | 770 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,606.0 |
| ERA | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 8.37 |
| BB/9 | 4.32 |
Bob Watson — Hitter
| Statistic | Bob Watson |
|---|---|
| Games | 1,832 |
| At-Bats | 6,185 |
| Runs | 802 |
| Hits | 1,826 |
| Doubles | 307 |
| Triples | 41 |
| Home Runs | 184 |
| RBI | 989 |
| Walks | 653 |
| Strikeouts | 796 |
| Stolen Bases | 27 |
| Batting Avg | .295 |
| On-Base % | .364 |
| Slugging % | .447 |
| OPS | .811 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
J. R. Richard carries a career pitching PIV of 38,918; Bob Watson carries a career batting PIV of 19,589. J. R. Richard is the higher of the two at 38,918 to 19,589. Both figures adjust each season to league baselines, but batting PIV and pitching PIV are calibrated separately — so read this as a directional comparison of career impact, not a settled verdict.
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 within his own role — ERA for the pitcher (120+ innings), OPS for the hitter (300+ at-bats).
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Watson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for J. R. Richard and Bob Watson: one pitched and one hit, and no counting stat means the same thing on both cards. On PIV — the one metric that scores both roles against league baselines — J. R. Richard grades higher, 38,918 to 19,589. Because the batting and pitching versions of PIV are calibrated separately, that gap is a directional signal about career impact rather than a ruling on who was the better ballplayer. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the J. R. Richard and Bob Watson careers compare
From 1971 through 1980, J. R. Richard and Bob Watson were in the majors together. As a pitcher, J. R. Richard went 107-71 with a 3.15 ERA and 1,493 strikeouts. Bob Watson's batting card reads 1,826 hits, 184 home runs and a .295 average. Because one is a pitcher and the other a hitter, the page keeps their statistics in separate tables and uses PIV as the shared yardstick. Their best seasons are measured differently, 2.71 ERA in 1979 for J. R. Richard and .949 OPS in 1979 for Bob Watson.
J. R. Richard vs Bob Watson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career PIV?
- J. R. Richard, with 38,918 career PIV to Bob Watson's 19,589.
- How do J. R. Richard and Bob Watson compare?
- J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 and Bob Watson played 1966–1984; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.