The Warrior and Le Grand Orange: Paul O’Neill vs. Rusty Staub

Published: July 28, 2024

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Last Updated: July 28th, 2024 by Jake Cain

There aren’t many players who can make lasting impressions on and off the field. Two players that did just that, wowing with their talent and connecting with fans, were Paul O’Neill and Rusty Staub. O’Neill, known for his fiery passion and clutch performances, and Staub, “Le Grand Orange,” remembered for his consistent hitting and multilingual charm, left indelible marks on baseball history. Let’s dive into the careers of these two sluggers, comparing their stats, accolades, and overall impact on America’s pastime.

Paul ONeill vs Rusty Staub — via Stathead

Early Career and Breakthroughs

Paul O’Neill:

Paul O’Neill’s journey in Major League Baseball began with the Cincinnati Reds in 1985. Drafted in the fourth round of the 1981 MLB Draft, O’Neill’s early years were split between the minors and the big leagues. It wasn’t until 1988 that he became a regular in the Reds’ lineup, showcasing his potential with 16 home runs and 73 RBIs. His breakout year came in 1991 when he belted 28 homers and drove in 91 runs, earning his first All-Star selection.

Rusty Staub:

Rusty Staub, on the other hand, burst onto the scene in 1963 with the Houston Colt .45s. Signing a $100,000 contract under the Bonus Rule, Staub struggled initially but found his stride by 1967, leading the league in doubles and securing an All-Star spot. His trade to the Montreal Expos in 1969 marked the beginning of his most celebrated period, where he quickly became the face of the franchise and a fan favorite, thanks to his offensive prowess and ability to connect with French-speaking fans.

Key Statistics

Paul O’Neill’s Career Stats:

Batting Average: .288
Hits: 2,105
Home Runs: 281
RBIs: 1,269

Rusty Staub’s Career Stats:

Batting Average: .279
Hits: 2,716
Home Runs: 292
RBIs: 1,466

While Staub’s numbers edge out O’Neill’s in several categories, it’s important to note the different eras and teams they played with. Staub’s career spanned 23 seasons, compared to O’Neill’s 17, offering Staub more opportunities to pad his stats.

Awards and Accolades

Paul O’Neill:

5× All-Star (1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998)
5× World Series Champion (1990, 1996, 1998-2000)
AL Batting Champion (1994)
New York Yankees No. 21 Retired
Monument Park Honoree

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1985	22	CIN	NL	5	12	12	1	4	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	.333	.333	.417	.750	106	5	0	0	0	0	0	/H7
1986	23	CIN	NL	3	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.333	.000	.333	-1	0	0	0	0	0	0	/H
1987	24	CIN	NL	84	178	160	24	41	14	1	7	28	2	1	18	29	.256	.331	.488	.819	111	78	3	0	0	0	1	H978/31
1988	25	CIN	NL	145	533	485	58	122	25	3	16	73	8	6	38	65	.252	.306	.414	.720	102	201	7	2	3	5	5	*93H/8
1989	26	CIN	NL	117	480	428	49	118	24	2	15	74	20	5	46	64	.276	.346	.446	.792	122	191	7	2	0	4	8	*9/8H
1990	27	CIN	NL	145	564	503	59	136	28	0	16	78	13	11	53	103	.270	.339	.421	.761	105	212	12	2	1	5	13	*9H/8	MVP-19
1991	28	CIN	NL	152	607	532	71	136	36	0	28	91	12	7	73	107	.256	.346	.481	.827	127	256	8	1	0	1	14	*9/H	AS
1992	29	CIN	NL	148	584	496	59	122	19	1	14	66	6	3	77	85	.246	.346	.373	.719	101	185	10	2	3	6	15	*9H
1993	30	NYY	AL	141	547	498	71	155	34	1	20	75	2	4	44	69	.311	.367	.504	.871	136	251	13	2	0	3	5	*97H/D
1994	31	NYY	AL	103	443	368	68	132	25	1	21	83	5	4	72	56	.359	.460	.603	1.064	177	222	16	0	0	3	13	*97H/D	AS,MVP-5
1995	32	NYY	AL	127	543	460	82	138	30	4	22	96	1	2	71	76	.300	.387	.526	.913	137	242	25	1	0	11	8	*97/HD	AS,MVP-15
1996	33	NYY	AL	150	660	546	89	165	35	1	19	91	0	1	102	76	.302	.411	.474	.885	123	259	21	4	0	8	8	*9/DH3
1997	34	NYY	AL	149	637	553	89	179	42	0	21	117	10	7	75	92	.324	.399	.514	.912	137	284	16	0	0	9	8	*9/H3D	AS,MVP-12
1998	35	NYY	AL	152	672	602	95	191	40	2	24	116	15	1	57	103	.317	.372	.510	.882	130	307	22	2	0	11	2	*9/HD	AS,MVP-12
1999	36	NYY	AL	153	675	597	70	170	39	4	19	110	11	9	66	89	.285	.353	.459	.812	107	274	24	2	0	10	1	*9/H
2000	37	NYY	AL	142	628	566	79	160	26	0	18	100	14	9	51	90	.283	.336	.424	.760	92	240	17	0	0	11	2	*9/DH
2001	38	NYY	AL	137	563	510	77	136	33	1	21	70	22	3	48	59	.267	.330	.459	.789	105	234	20	2	0	3	4	*9/DH
17 Yrs				2053	8329	7318	1041	2105	451	21	281	1269	141	73	892	1166	.288	.363	.470	.833	120	3441	221	22	7	90	107
162 Game Avg.				162	657	577	82	166	36	2	22	100	11	6	70	92	.288	.363	.470	.833	120	272	17	2	1	7	8
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
NYY (9 yrs)				1254	5368	4700	720	1426	304	14	185	858	80	40	586	710	.303	.377	.492	.869	125	2313	174	13	0	69	51
CIN (8 yrs)				799	2961	2618	321	679	147	7	96	411	61	33	306	456	.259	.336	.431	.767	111	1128	47	9	7	21	56

AL (9 yrs)				1254	5368	4700	720	1426	304	14	185	858	80	40	586	710	.303	.377	.492	.869	125	2313	174	13	0	69	51
NL (8 yrs)				799	2961	2618	321	679	147	7	96	411	61	33	306	456	.259	.336	.431	.767	111	1128	47	9	7	21	56

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/3/2024.

Rusty Staub:

6× All-Star (1967-1971, 1976)
Montreal Expos No. 10 Retired
New York Mets Hall of Fame
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (2012)

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1963	19	HOU	NL	150	585	513	43	115	17	4	6	45	0	0	59	58	.224	.309	.308	.617	84	158	10	5	6	2	8	*39/H
1964	20	HOU	NL	89	320	292	26	63	10	2	8	35	1	1	21	31	.216	.272	.346	.618	78	101	6	3	0	4	4	39/H8
1965	21	HOU	NL	131	470	410	43	105	20	1	14	63	3	0	52	57	.256	.339	.412	.751	119	169	17	2	1	5	5	*9H/837
1966	22	HOU	NL	153	628	554	60	155	28	3	13	81	2	1	58	61	.280	.345	.412	.756	116	228	13	1	7	8	13	*97/H38	MVP-22
1967	23	HOU	NL	149	621	546	71	182	44	1	10	74	0	4	60	47	.333	.398	.473	.871	153	258	15	3	6	6	21	*9/H	AS,MVP-16
1968	24	HOU	NL	161	682	591	54	172	37	1	6	72	2	0	73	57	.291	.373	.387	.761	132	229	11	7	7	4	24	*39	AS
1969	25	MON	NL	158	673	549	89	166	26	5	29	79	3	4	110	61	.302	.426	.526	.952	166	289	13	9	4	1	11	*9/H	AS,MVP-36
1970	26	MON	NL	160	699	569	98	156	23	7	30	94	12	11	112	93	.274	.394	.497	.891	139	283	7	3	11	4	11	*9/H	AS
1971	27	MON	NL	*162*	690	599	94	186	34	6	19	97	9	5	74	42	.311	.392	.482	.874	148	289	21	9	3	5	13	*9/H	AS,MVP-19
1972	28	NYM	NL	66	278	239	32	70	11	0	9	38	0	1	31	13	.293	.372	.452	.824	137	108	5	2	1	5	7	9/H	MVP-25
1973	29	NYM	NL	152	666	585	77	163	36	1	15	76	1	1	74	52	.279	.361	.421	.781	118	246	16	3	1	3	10	*9/H
1974	30	NYM	NL	151	649	561	65	145	22	2	19	78	2	1	77	39	.258	.347	.406	.754	112	228	21	3	1	7	12	*9/H
1975	31	NYM	NL	155	670	574	93	162	30	4	19	105	2	0	77	55	.282	.371	.448	.818	132	257	18	9	1	9	14	*9/H	MVP-14
1976	32	DET	AL	161	690	589	73	176	28	3	15	96	3	1	83	49	.299	.386	.433	.818	137	255	23	7	0	11	11	*9D	AS
1977	33	DET	AL	158	695	623	84	173	34	3	22	101	1	1	59	47	.278	.336	.448	.784	108	279	27	1	2	10	4	*D/H
1978	34	DET	AL	162	734	642	75	175	30	1	24	121	3	1	76	35	.273	.347	.435	.782	117	279	24	3	2	11	5	*D	MVP-5
1979	35	TOT	MLB	106	389	332	41	81	15	1	12	54	1	0	46	28	.244	.340	.404	.744	100	134	12	5	1	5	4	D3H/9
1979	35	DET	AL	68	288	246	32	58	12	1	9	40	1	0	32	18	.236	.331	.402	.733	95	99	9	5	1	4	1	D/H
1979	35	MON	NL	38	101	86	9	23	3	0	3	14	0	0	14	10	.267	.366	.407	.773	112	35	3	0	0	1	3	3H/9
1980	36	TEX	AL	109	388	340	42	102	23	2	9	55	1	1	39	18	.300	.370	.459	.828	130	156	16	2	1	6	3	D3H9/7
1981	37	NYM	NL	70	186	161	9	51	9	0	5	21	1	0	22	12	.317	.398	.466	.864	147	75	6	1	0	2	3	3H
1982	38	NYM	NL	112	250	219	11	53	9	0	3	27	0	0	24	10	.242	.309	.324	.633	79	71	10	0	1	6	1	H397
1983	39	NYM	NL	104	132	115	5	34	6	0	3	28	0	0	14	10	.296	.371	.426	.797	122	49	4	1	0	2	3	H/379
1984	40	NYM	NL	78	79	72	2	19	4	0	1	18	0	0	4	9	.264	.291	.361	.652	84	26	1	0	0	3	3	H/3
1985	41	NYM	NL	54	55	45	2	12	3	0	1	8	0	0	10	4	.267	.400	.400	.800	126	18	1	0	0	0	3	H/79
23 Yrs				2951	11229	9720	1189	2716	499	47	292	1466	47	33	1255	888	.279	.362	.431	.793	124	4185	297	79	56	119	193
162 Game Avg.				162	616	534	65	149	27	3	16	80	3	2	69	49	.279	.362	.431	.793	124	230	16	4	3	7	11
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
NYM (9 yrs)				942	2965	2571	296	709	130	7	75	399	6	3	333	204	.276	.358	.419	.778	119	1078	82	19	5	37	56
HOU (6 yrs)				833	3306	2906	297	792	156	12	57	370	8	6	323	311	.273	.346	.393	.740	117	1143	72	21	27	29	75
MON (4 yrs)				518	2163	1803	290	531	86	18	81	284	24	20	310	206	.295	.402	.497	.899	149	896	44	21	18	11	38
DET (4 yrs)				549	2407	2100	264	582	104	8	70	358	8	3	250	149	.277	.353	.434	.787	117	912	83	16	5	36	21
TEX (1 yr)				109	388	340	42	102	23	2	9	55	1	1	39	18	.300	.370	.459	.828	130	156	16	2	1	6	3

NL (19 yrs)				2293	8434	7280	883	2032	372	37	213	1053	38	29	966	721	.279	.365	.428	.793	126	3117	198	61	50	77	169
AL (5 yrs)				658	2795	2440	306	684	127	10	79	413	9	4	289	167	.280	.355	.438	.793	119	1068	99	18	6	42	24

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/3/2024.

Both players have their numbers retired by significant teams in their career, showcasing the lasting impact they made. Staub’s inclusion in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame underscores his importance to the Expos and Canadian baseball.

Impact on the Game

Paul O’Neill:

O’Neill’s tenure with the Yankees marked the return of the Bronx Bombers to baseball prominence. Known for his intense demeanor and clutch performances, O’Neill’s leadership and consistency were pivotal during the Yankees’ late-1990s dynasty. His ability to deliver in key moments, coupled with his defensive prowess, made him a cornerstone of multiple championship teams.

Rusty Staub:

Staub’s nickname, “Le Grand Orange,” symbolized his influence beyond just statistics. As one of the first true stars of the Montreal Expos, Staub’s ability to connect with fans, both on and off the field, helped solidify baseball’s presence in Canada. His multilingual efforts and philanthropic work further endeared him to the communities he played in. Staub’s value was not only in his reliable bat but also in his role as an ambassador for the game.

Memorable Moments

Paul O’Neill:

O’Neill’s tenure with the Yankees is filled with memorable highlights. In 1998, he famously caught the final out of David Wells’ perfect game, and in 1999, made a crucial catch in David Cone’s perfect game. His emotional farewell during the 2001 World Series, with fans chanting his name, remains a testament to his connection with New York.

Rusty Staub:

Staub’s heroics in the 1973 postseason are legendary. Despite a separated shoulder, he hit .423 in the World Series and made a memorable catch crashing into the outfield wall to rob an extra-base hit. His role in the Mets’ unexpected pennant run that year is a highlight of his career, embodying his grit and determination.

Post-Career Contributions

Paul O’Neill:

After hanging up his cleats, O’Neill transitioned smoothly into broadcasting, becoming a beloved analyst for the YES Network. His insightful commentary and connection to the Yankees have kept him in the public eye, continuing to influence the game from the booth.

Rusty Staub:

Staub’s post-career was marked by significant contributions off the field. He established the Rusty Staub Foundation and the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, raising millions for families of fallen first responders. His charitable efforts and culinary ventures (owning restaurants) further showcase his multifaceted impact on society.

Legacy

Paul O’Neill:

O’Neill’s legacy is forever intertwined with the Yankees’ late-90s dynasty. His No. 21 jersey retirement and Monument Park plaque cement his status as a Yankee legend. Known as “The Warrior,” his fiery spirit and clutch performances are celebrated by fans and teammates alike.

Rusty Staub:

Staub, remembered as much for his off-field contributions as his on-field achievements, left a lasting legacy in multiple cities. Whether in Montreal, New York, or Detroit, Staub’s consistent performance and community involvement have made him a beloved figure in baseball history. His No. 10 retirement by the Expos and induction into multiple Halls of Fame reflect his broad impact on the game.

Conclusion

Comparing Paul O’Neill and Rusty Staub is a fascinating exercise in understanding how different players can shape the game in unique ways. O’Neill’s fiery passion and clutch performances were key to the Yankees’ resurgence, while Staub’s consistent hitting and cultural outreach helped solidify baseball’s presence in Canada and beyond. Whether you favor O’Neill’s championships or Staub’s longevity, there’s no denying the significant legacies both players have left on baseball.