Lou Brock vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Lou Brock 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). Lou Brock played 1961–1979 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
Lou Brock (1961–1979) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lou Brock finished with 3,023 hits and 149 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 Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Brock, with .293 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Lou Brock's 900.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Lou Brock's 18,115.
- Who won more championships? Lou Brock, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Brock 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 | Lou Brock | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,616 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,332 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,610 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,023 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | Leads: 486 | 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 141 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 149 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 900 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 761 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,730 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 938 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .293 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | .410 | Leads: .437 |
| OPS | .753 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons leads Lou Brock 20,131 to 18,115 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 959 PIV per season to 906, 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).
Lou Brock — 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, OBP, and OPS, while Lou Brock 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 Lou Brock and Ted Simmons careers compare
Lou Brock and Ted Simmons were active at the same time between 1968 and 1979. With 2,616 games against 2,456 across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Lou Brock struck out more than walked (1,730 to 761), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Ted Simmons is the more power-leaning hitter, with 248 of 2,472 hits leaving the park. Lou Brock was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Lou Brock owns the better peak by OPS: .915 OPS in 1964 for Lou Brock against .908 OPS in 1977 for Ted Simmons.
Lou Brock vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Brock or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lou Brock leads Ted Simmons in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Brock or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Lou Brock's 149.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Lou Brock's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Brock, with .293 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Lou Brock, with 3,023 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.