Bobby Grich 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). Bobby Grich played 1970–1986 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
Bobby Grich (1970–1986) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bobby Grich finished with 1,833 hits and 224 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 Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Grich, with .794 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Bobby Grich's 864.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bobby Grich, with 20,680 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Bobby Grich, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Bobby Grich
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bobby Grich 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 | Bobby Grich | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,008 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,890 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,033 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,833 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 320 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 47 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 224 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 864 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,087 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,278 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .348 |
| Slugging % | .424 | Leads: .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .794 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Grich edges Ted Simmons 20,680 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,216 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Bobby Grich played 17 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).
Bobby Grich — 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 Bobby Grich owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Simmons. Note that PIV actually grades Bobby Grich ahead, which means Ted Simmons's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bobby Grich and Ted Simmons careers compare
From 1970 through 1986, Bobby Grich and Ted Simmons were in the majors together. With 2,008 games against 2,456 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bobby Grich's edges on the table are walks (1,087 to 855), stolen bases (104 to 21), and on-base percentage (.371 to .348). Plate discipline differs: Bobby Grich struck out more than walked (1,278 to 1,087), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). On the bases, Bobby Grich stole more often per game played (104 steals in 2,008 games for Bobby Grich, 21 in 2,456 for Ted Simmons).
Bobby Grich vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bobby Grich or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Bobby Grich in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bobby Grich or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Bobby Grich's 224.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Grich, with .794 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Bobby Grich's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Bobby Grich's 1,833.