Willie McCovey vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey 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). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 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? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Willie McCovey
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey 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 | Willie McCovey | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,229 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 26 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Ted Simmons 47,331 to 20,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,058 PIV per season to 959, across 23 seasons to 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).
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Simmons owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1968 to 1980, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,588 games against 2,456 across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Willie McCovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,211 hits leaving the park. Willie McCovey's slugging percentage of .515 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Willie McCovey vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie McCovey or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie McCovey leads Ted Simmons in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie McCovey or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.