Joe Mauer vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons 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). Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 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
Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 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 Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Mauer, with .827 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Mauer 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 2000s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Mauer | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,858 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,930 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,018 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,123 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 428 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | 143 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 923 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,034 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 52 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .439 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .827 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons edges Joe Mauer 20,131 to 20,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Joe Mauer's 15, while Joe Mauer carries the higher per-season figure (1,337 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).
Joe Mauer — 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 Joe Mauer owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. 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 Joe Mauer and Ted Simmons careers compare
Ted Simmons (1968–1988) was finished before Joe Mauer (2004–2018) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,858 games for Joe Mauer and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ted Simmons's hits: 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. In slugging percentage, Joe Mauer holds the edge, .439 to .437.
Joe Mauer vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Mauer or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Joe Mauer in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Mauer or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Mauer, with .827 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.