Wally Backman vs. Ozzie Smith — Career Comparison

Wally Backman
Baby BoomersOregonThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaNew York MetsNational LeagueSecond Baseman
Ozzie Smith
Baby BoomersAlabamaThrows RightBats SwitchNorth AmericaSt. Louis CardinalsNational LeagueHall of FameShortstopGold GloveSilver SluggerAll-Star

Wally Backman and Ozzie Smith are a strikingly close offensive match — their adjusted numbers sit nearly on top of each other across the most important hitting dimensions. Their on-base numbers were nearly identical (OBP+ 115 for Wally Backman, 112 for Ozzie Smith), and so was their slugging (SLG+ 95 vs 93). The overall lean goes to Wally Backman, but the margin between these two hitters is genuinely razor-thin.

Hitting Stats for Wally Backman and Ozzie Smith

Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
14
14
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
19
19
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1102
178.32
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2573
143.24
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
3708
600
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
10778
600
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3245
525.08
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
9396
523.07
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.275
0.275
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.262
0.262
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.727
0.727
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.725
0.725
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
893
144.5
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2460
136.95
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
726
117.48
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1961
109.17
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
138
22.33
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
402
22.38
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
19
3.07
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
69
3.84
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
10
1.62
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
28
1.56
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
167
27.02
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
499
27.78
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.187
0.187
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.203
0.203
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.003
0.003
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.003
0.003
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.011
0.011
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.011
0.011
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
405.48
65.61
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1171.64
65.22
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1099
177.83
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
3084
171.68
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1269
205.34
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
3565
198.46
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.349
0.349
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.338
0.338
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.339
0.339
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.328
0.328
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.687
0.687
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.666
0.666
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.064
0.064
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.066
0.066
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.242
0.242
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.234
0.234
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.647
0.647
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.658
0.658
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.318
0.318
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
0.275
0.275
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
482
77.99
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1257
69.98
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
240
38.83
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
793
44.15
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
712
115.21
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
2022
112.56
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
445.55
72.1
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1247.96
69.47
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
5
0.81
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
33
1.84
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
371
60.03
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
1072
59.68
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
9
1.46
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
79
4.4
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
480
77.67
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PAverified
589
32.79
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
7.73
7.73
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
18.3
18.3
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
0.77
0.77
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.82
1.82
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
68
11
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
214
11.91
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
19
3.07
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
63
3.51
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
55
8.9
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 600 PA
167
9.3
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
117
18.93
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
580
32.29
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PAverified
52
8.41
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
148
8.24
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
169
27.35
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
728
40.53
Wally Backman
Career
Per 600 PA
69.23
69.23
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
79.67
79.67

Fielding Stats for Wally Backman and Ozzie Smith

Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
14
14
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
19
19
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
955
1.23
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2511
1.04
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
806
1.04
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2477
1.02
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
20957
27
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
65357
27
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
6985.2
9
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
21785.2
9
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
1476
1.9
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
4249
1.76
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
2132
2.75
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
8375
3.46
Wally Backman
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
91
0.12
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
281
0.12
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
3699
4.77
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12905
5.33
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
3608
4.65
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
12624
5.22
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
97.54
97.54
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
97.82
97.82
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.778
3.778
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5.028
5.028
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
84.4
84.4
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
98.65
98.65
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
394
0.51
Ozzie Smith
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1590
0.66
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Wally Backman
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Ozzie Smith
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0