Mike Piazza 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). Mike Piazza played 1992–2007 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
Mike Piazza (1992–2007) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mike Piazza finished with 2,127 hits and 427 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? Mike Piazza, with 427 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Piazza, with .922 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Piazza, with .308 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Mike Piazza's 1,335.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Piazza, with 30,988 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
Mike Piazza
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mike Piazza 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 1990s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mike Piazza | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,912 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 6,911 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,048 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,127 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 344 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | 8 | Leads: 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 427 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,335 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 759 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,113 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | 17 | Leads: 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .308 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .545 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .922 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Piazza outpaces Ted Simmons 30,988 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,722 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Piazza played 18 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).
Mike Piazza — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Piazza leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Piazza. PIV agrees: Mike Piazza grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Piazza and Ted Simmons careers compare
Ted Simmons (1968–1988) was finished before Mike Piazza (1992–2007) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,912 games for Mike Piazza and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Mike Piazza struck out more than walked (1,113 to 759), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mike Piazza's hits: 427 of 2,127 for Mike Piazza, 248 of 2,472 for Ted Simmons. In slugging percentage, Mike Piazza holds the edge, .545 to .437.
Mike Piazza vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Piazza or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Mike Piazza in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mike Piazza or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Mike Piazza, with 427 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Piazza, with .922 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Piazza, with .308 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.