Harold Baines vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 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
Harold Baines (1980–2001) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harold Baines, with 384 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harold Baines, with .820 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Harold Baines
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Ted Simmons. 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 34 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .465 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines leads Ted Simmons 25,497 to 20,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21, while Ted Simmons carries the higher per-season figure (959 to 944). 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).
Harold Baines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ted Simmons owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harold Baines. PIV agrees: Harold Baines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harold Baines and Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1980 through 1988, Harold Baines and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,830 games for Harold Baines and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 27 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Harold Baines. At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Harold Baines's hits: 384 of 2,866 for Harold Baines, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons.
Harold Baines vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Ted Simmons in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harold Baines, with .820 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.