Roberto Clemente vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente 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). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 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 Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Ted Simmons 34,131 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ted Simmons owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1972, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,433 games against 2,456 across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Roberto Clemente's slugging percentage of .475 tops Ted Simmons's .437. Best seasons: 1970 for Roberto Clemente (.963 OPS, 14 HR, 60 RBI, .352 avg) and 1977 for Ted Simmons (.908 OPS, 21 HR, 95 RBI, .318 avg).
Roberto Clemente vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Ted Simmons in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.