Tim Salmon vs Bernie Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Bernie Williams 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 Salmon played 1992–2006 as a hitter; Bernie Williams played 1991–2006 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 Salmon (1992–2006) and Bernie Williams (1991–2006) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Tim Salmon finished with 1,674 hits and 299 home runs; Bernie Williams finished with 2,336 hits and 287 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Tim Salmon, with 299 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS? Tim Salmon, with .884 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bernie Williams, with .297 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits? Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.
- Who drove in more runs? Bernie Williams, with 1,257 to Tim Salmon's 1,016.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bernie Williams, with 24,401 career PIV to Tim Salmon's 22,790.
- Who won more championships? Bernie Williams, with 4 World Series titles to Tim Salmon's 1.
Tim Salmon
Bernie Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Tim Salmon and Bernie Williams. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Salmon | Bernie Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,672 | Leads: 2,076 |
| At-Bats | 5,934 | Leads: 7,869 |
| Runs | 986 | Leads: 1,366 |
| Hits | 1,674 | Leads: 2,336 |
| Doubles | 339 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 299 | 287 |
| RBI | 1,016 | Leads: 1,257 |
| Walks | 970 | Leads: 1,069 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,360 | 1,212 |
| Stolen Bases | 48 | Leads: 147 |
| Batting Avg | .282 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .385 | .381 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .498 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bernie Williams edges Tim Salmon 24,401 to 22,790 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bernie Williams played 16 seasons to Tim Salmon's 14, while Tim Salmon carries the higher per-season figure (1,628 to 1,525). 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 Salmon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Bernie Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bernie Williams leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Tim Salmon owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bernie Williams. PIV agrees: Bernie Williams grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Salmon and Bernie Williams careers compare
The careers of Tim Salmon (1992–2006) and Bernie Williams (1991–2006) overlapped from 1992 to 2006, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,672 games for Tim Salmon and 2,076 for Bernie Williams across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tim Salmon's edges on the table are home runs (299 to 287), on-base percentage (.385 to .381), and slugging percentage (.498 to .477). Tim Salmon struck out more than walked (1,360 to 970); Bernie Williams struck out more than walked (1,212 to 1,069).
Tim Salmon vs Bernie Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Salmon or Bernie Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bernie Williams leads Tim Salmon in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Tim Salmon or Bernie Williams hit more home runs?
- Tim Salmon, with 299 to Bernie Williams's 287.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Tim Salmon, with .884 to Bernie Williams's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bernie Williams, with .297 to Tim Salmon's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Bernie Williams, with 2,336 to Tim Salmon's 1,674.