Buddy Bell vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Buddy Bell played 1972–1989 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
Buddy Bell (1972–1989) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Buddy Bell finished with 2,514 hits and 201 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? Ted Simmons, with 248 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits? Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Buddy Bell's 1,106.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Buddy Bell's 10,176.
Buddy Bell
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Buddy Bell 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Buddy Bell | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,405 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,995 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,151 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,514 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 425 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 56 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 201 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,106 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 836 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 776 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 55 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | .406 | Leads: .437 |
| OPS | .747 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Buddy Bell 20,131 to 10,176 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 959 PIV per season to 509, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Buddy Bell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Buddy Bell owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Simmons. PIV agrees: Ted Simmons grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Buddy Bell and Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1972 through 1988, Buddy Bell and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,405 games for Buddy Bell and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Buddy Bell walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 776 strikeouts), and Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). In slugging percentage, Ted Simmons holds the edge, .437 to .406. Best seasons: 1980 for Buddy Bell (.877 OPS, 17 HR, 83 RBI, .329 avg) and 1977 for Ted Simmons (.908 OPS, 21 HR, 95 RBI, .318 avg).
Buddy Bell vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Buddy Bell or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Buddy Bell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Buddy Bell or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Buddy Bell's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Buddy Bell's .747.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Buddy Bell's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Buddy Bell, with 2,514 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.