Dale Murphy 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). Dale Murphy played 1976–1993 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
Dale Murphy (1976–1993) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Dale Murphy finished with 2,111 hits and 398 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? Dale Murphy, with 398 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Dale Murphy, with .815 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Dale Murphy's 1,266.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dale Murphy, with 24,431 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Dale Murphy
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Dale Murphy 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 | Dale Murphy | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,180 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,960 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,197 | 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,111 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 350 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 398 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,266 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 986 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,748 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 161 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .265 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .346 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .469 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dale Murphy leads Ted Simmons 24,431 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,286 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Dale Murphy played 19 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).
Dale Murphy — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dale Murphy leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dale Murphy. PIV agrees: Dale Murphy grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dale Murphy and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Dale Murphy (1976–1993) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1976 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Dale Murphy and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Dale Murphy struck out more than walked (1,748 to 986), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Dale Murphy's hits: 398 of 2,111 for Dale Murphy, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons.
Dale Murphy vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dale Murphy or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Dale Murphy in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Dale Murphy or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Dale Murphy, with 398 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Dale Murphy, with .815 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Dale Murphy's .265.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Dale Murphy's 2,111.