Kirby Puckett 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). Kirby Puckett played 1984–1995 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
Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Kirby Puckett finished with 2,304 hits and 207 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 Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Kirby Puckett's 2,304.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Kirby Puckett's 1,085.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Kirby Puckett, with 22,719 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Kirby Puckett, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Kirby Puckett
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirby Puckett 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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Kirby Puckett | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,783 | Leads: 2,456 |
| At-Bats | 7,244 | Leads: 8,680 |
| Runs | 1,071 | Leads: 1,074 |
| Hits | 2,304 | Leads: 2,472 |
| Doubles | 414 | Leads: 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 57 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 207 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,085 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 450 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 965 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 134 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .477 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .837 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kirby Puckett leads Ted Simmons 22,719 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,893 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Kirby Puckett played 12 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).
Kirby Puckett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kirby Puckett leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kirby Puckett. PIV agrees: Kirby Puckett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kirby Puckett and Ted Simmons careers compare
The careers of Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) overlapped from 1984 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,783 games against 2,456 across 12 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Kirby Puckett struck out more than walked (965 to 450), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Kirby Puckett was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Kirby Puckett holds the edge, .360 to .348.
Kirby Puckett vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirby Puckett or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Kirby Puckett in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirby Puckett or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Kirby Puckett's 2,304.