Better Hitter: Pete Rose vs. Ted Williams

Alright, I’m going to start a new segment where I take players from the past, match them up, I make my pick who I think is better and then you guys can agree or disagree… Sound OK?

First match up is one that has intrigued me: two legends, Pete Rose vs. Ted Williams, for better hitter. They’re very distinctly different in character and the way they played the game.The two things that we are going to look at when comparing these two legends are their career stats and their prime year.

Comparing the career stats and awards

As far as Rose’s career stats, 24 years

• 15,890 plate appearances
• 4,256 hits
• 2,165 runs scored
• 1,314 runs batted in
• 160 home Runs
• 1,566 walks
• 1,143 strike outs
• .303 batting average
• .375 on base percentage
• .409 slugging percentage

Awards:

• 1x MVP 1973
• 16x All Star
• 4x Runs Scored League Leader
• 7x League Leader in hits
• 3x League Leader in Batting Average
• 1x Silver Slugger winner… Not in HOF (ban for life)

Williams career stats 19 years

• 9,788 plate appearances
• 2,654 hits
• 1,798 runs scored
• 1,839 runs batted In
• 521 home runs
• .344 batting average
• .482 on base percentage
• .634 slugging percentage

Awards:

• 4x MVP
• 19x All Star
• 2x Triple Crown Winner
• 6x AL Batting Champ
• 4x AL RBI Champ
• Hall Of Fame 1966 First Ballot

Analysis

Rose may be the All Time Hits Leader, but Williams dominates Career Stats 4>1 in MVP’s and two triple crowns, 6 batting champs, a 40 point higher average, 400 more home runs – really thought this would be Rose. 1-0 Williams

Prime Year

Ted Williams 1941:

• BA .406 ,135 R
• 37 Home Runs
• 120 Runs Batted In
• .553 OBP
• .735 SLG
• All Star and MVP 1st in league AVG, On Base Percentage, Runs Scored, and Hits

Pete Rose 1973:

• BA: .338
• 115 Runs
• 5 Home Runs
• 64 Runs Batted In
• .401 OBP
• .437 SLG
• All Star and MVP Lead League in Hits, AVG, Runs Scored….

Analysis

The average, home runs and RBI’s stick out, but remembering the time that Williams played in, this is a lot closer than I thought it was going to be. Rose’s ability to dominate the league in the same categories as Williams makes this a lot tougher.Williams may have this one simply due to the fact a .400 average hasn’t been eclipsed since.

Quick story: Williams was batting .400 going into the last day of the season and could have sat and had it, but instead said, “If I sit out then I don’t deserve .400.” Well he went out and went 6 for 8 and raised that average to .406.

Overall

This has been a blowout. Simply put, Ted Williams is the better hitter than the all time hits leader, Pete Rose, and it’s not even close. Williams brings the average and the power to a lineup that Rose simply cannot.

What do you think?