Cecil Cooper 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). Cecil Cooper played 1971–1987 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
Cecil Cooper (1971–1987) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cecil Cooper finished with 2,192 hits and 241 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 Cecil Cooper's 241.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cecil Cooper, with .803 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cecil Cooper, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Cecil Cooper's 2,192.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Cecil Cooper's 1,125.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Cecil Cooper's 16,386.
Cecil Cooper
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cecil Cooper 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 | Cecil Cooper | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,896 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,349 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,012 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,192 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 415 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 47 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 241 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,125 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 448 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 911 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 89 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .803 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons leads Cecil Cooper 20,131 to 16,386 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Cecil Cooper's 17, while Cecil Cooper carries the higher per-season figure (964 to 959). 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).
Cecil Cooper — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Cecil Cooper owns stolen bases, batting average, and OPS. 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 Cecil Cooper and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Cecil Cooper (1971–1987) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1971 to 1987, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,896 games against 2,456 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Cecil Cooper comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (89 to 21), batting average (.298 to .285), and slugging percentage (.466 to .437). Plate discipline differs: Cecil Cooper struck out more than walked (911 to 448), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts).
Cecil Cooper vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cecil Cooper or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Cecil Cooper in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cecil Cooper or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Cecil Cooper's 241.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cecil Cooper, with .803 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cecil Cooper, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Cecil Cooper's 2,192.