Willie Stargell vs Lou Whitaker: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Whitaker 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). Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 as a hitter; Lou Whitaker played 1977–1995 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
Willie Stargell (1962–1982) and Lou Whitaker (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs; Lou Whitaker finished with 2,369 hits and 244 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Lou Whitaker's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Lou Whitaker's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Stargell, with .282 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits? Lou Whitaker, with 2,369 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Lou Whitaker's 1,084.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Lou Whitaker's 19,796.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Lou Whitaker's 1.
Willie Stargell
Lou Whitaker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie Stargell and Lou Whitaker. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie Stargell | Lou Whitaker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,360 | Leads: 2,390 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 8,570 |
| Runs | 1,194 | Leads: 1,386 |
| Hits | 2,232 | Leads: 2,369 |
| Doubles | Leads: 423 | 420 |
| Triples | 55 | Leads: 65 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 475 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,540 | 1,084 |
| Walks | 937 | Leads: 1,197 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,936 | 1,099 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 143 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .282 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .360 | Leads: .363 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .529 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Lou Whitaker 42,804 to 19,796 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,038 PIV per season to 1,042, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Lou Whitaker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OPS, while Lou Whitaker owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Stargell and Lou Whitaker careers compare
Willie Stargell and Lou Whitaker were active at the same time between 1977 and 1982. The two careers are close in length, 2,360 games for Willie Stargell and 2,390 for Lou Whitaker across 21 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937), but Lou Whitaker walked more often than struck out (1,197 walks, 1,099 strikeouts). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Lou Whitaker stole more often per game played (17 steals in 2,360 games for Willie Stargell, 143 in 2,390 for Lou Whitaker).
Willie Stargell vs Lou Whitaker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Stargell or Lou Whitaker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Whitaker leads Willie Stargell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie Stargell or Lou Whitaker hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Lou Whitaker's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Lou Whitaker's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Stargell, with .282 to Lou Whitaker's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Whitaker, with 2,369 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.