Julio Franco vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Julio Franco 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). Julio Franco played 1982–2007 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
Julio Franco (1982–2007) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Julio Franco finished with 2,586 hits and 173 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 Julio Franco's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Julio Franco's .782.
- Who had the higher batting average? Julio Franco, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Julio Franco, with 2,586 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Julio Franco's 1,194.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Julio Franco's 14,957.
Julio Franco
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Julio Franco 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Julio Franco | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,527 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 8,677 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,285 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,586 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 54 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 173 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,194 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 917 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,341 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 281 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .365 | .348 |
| Slugging % | .417 | Leads: .437 |
| OPS | .782 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Julio Franco 20,131 to 14,957 — driven by per-season impact — 959 PIV per season to 598 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Julio Franco's 25. 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).
Julio Franco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Julio Franco leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ted Simmons owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Julio Franco. Note that PIV actually grades Ted Simmons ahead, which means Julio Franco's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Julio Franco and Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1982 through 1988, Julio Franco and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. With 2,527 games against 2,456 across 25 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Julio Franco struck out more than walked (1,341 to 917), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ted Simmons's hits: 173 of 2,586 for Julio Franco, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. On the bases, Julio Franco stole more often per game played (281 steals in 2,527 games for Julio Franco, 21 in 2,456 for Ted Simmons).
Julio Franco vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Julio Franco or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Julio Franco leads Ted Simmons in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Julio Franco or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Julio Franco's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Julio Franco's .782.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Julio Franco, with .298 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Julio Franco, with 2,586 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.