Johnny Bench vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Johnny Bench played 1967–1983 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
Johnny Bench (1967–1983) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Johnny Bench finished with 2,048 hits and 389 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? Johnny Bench, with 389 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Bench, with .817 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Johnny Bench's .267.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Johnny Bench's 2,048.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Johnny Bench's 1,376.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Bench, with 25,321 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Bench, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Johnny Bench
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Bench 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Johnny Bench | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,158 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,658 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,091 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,048 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 381 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 389 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,376 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 891 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 68 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .342 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .476 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Bench leads Ted Simmons 25,321 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,489 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Bench played 17 seasons to Ted Simmons's 21. 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).
Johnny Bench — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Bench leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johnny Bench. PIV agrees: Johnny Bench grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Bench and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Johnny Bench (1967–1983) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,158 games against 2,456 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Johnny Bench struck out more than walked (1,278 to 891), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Johnny Bench is the more power-leaning hitter, with 389 of 2,048 hits leaving the park. Johnny Bench's slugging percentage of .476 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Johnny Bench vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Bench or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Johnny Bench in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Bench or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Johnny Bench, with 389 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Bench, with .817 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Johnny Bench's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Johnny Bench's 2,048.