Gary Carter vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 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
Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 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? Gary Carter, with 324 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gary Carter's 2,092.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Gary Carter's 1,225.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Gary Carter's 14,141.
- Who won more championships? Gary Carter, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Gary Carter
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter 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 | Gary Carter | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,296 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,971 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,025 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,092 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 371 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,225 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 848 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 39 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .439 | .437 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Gary Carter 20,131 to 14,141 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 959 PIV per season to 744, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Gary Carter owns home 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 Gary Carter and Ted Simmons careers compare
Gary Carter and Ted Simmons were active at the same time between 1974 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 2,296 games for Gary Carter and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Gary Carter are home runs (324 to 248), stolen bases (39 to 21), and slugging percentage (.439 to .437). Plate discipline differs: Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts).
Gary Carter vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Gary Carter in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Gary Carter, with 324 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Gary Carter's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gary Carter's 2,092.