Lance Parrish vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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
Lance Parrish (1977–1995) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 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? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Lance Parrish's 1,070.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Lance Parrish
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Parrish 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 | Lance Parrish | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,988 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,067 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 856 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 1,782 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 305 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,070 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 612 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,527 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 28 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | .252 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .437 |
| OPS | .753 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Lance Parrish 20,131 to 6,792 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 959 PIV per season to 340, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Lance Parrish owns home runs and stolen bases. 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 Lance Parrish and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Lance Parrish (1977–1995) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1977 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,988 games against 2,456 across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lance Parrish's edges on the table are home runs (324 to 248), stolen bases (28 to 21), and slugging percentage (.440 to .437). Plate discipline differs: Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Lance Parrish is the more power-leaning hitter, with 324 of 1,782 hits leaving the park.
Lance Parrish vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Parrish or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Lance Parrish in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Parrish or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.