Pete Rose vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Pete Rose (1963–1986) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both debuted in the 1960s. Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 leads the career comparison? Pete Rose, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
Pete Rose
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pete Rose and Willie Stargell. 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 | Pete Rose | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,562 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats not scored | 14,053 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,165 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,256 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 746 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 135 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,566 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,143 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .784 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell edges Pete Rose 42,804 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 1,699 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 seasons to Pete Rose's 24. 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).
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Pete Rose leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Willie Stargell leads 4: home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Willie Stargell higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Rose and Willie Stargell careers compare
Pete Rose and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1963 and 1982. Pete Rose has the far longer record, 3,562 games against 2,360 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Willie Stargell are home runs (475 to 160), RBI (1,540 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.529 to .409). At the plate, Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts), while 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. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Pete Rose vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Rose or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Pete Rose or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.