Frank Robinson vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Frank Robinson's 2.
Frank Robinson
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson and Pete Rose. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Frank Robinson | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,808 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 10,006 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,829 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,943 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 528 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,812 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,420 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts | 1,532 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 198 |
| Batting Avg | .294 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .784 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Pete Rose 67,113 to 40,772 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,051 vs 1,631 per year). 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).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OBP, while Pete Rose owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Frank Robinson vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Frank Robinson in 8 of 14 categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Frank Robinson's .294.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Frank Robinson's 2,943.