Frank Robinson vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Frank Robinson has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Frank Robinson played 1956–1976 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
Frank Robinson (1956–1976) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Frank Robinson finished with 2,943 hits and 586 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? Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Frank Robinson, with .926 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Frank Robinson, with .294 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Frank Robinson, with 1,812 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Frank Robinson, with 67,113 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Frank Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Frank Robinson
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Frank Robinson 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 | Frank Robinson | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,808 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,006 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,829 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,943 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | Leads: 528 | 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 72 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 586 | 248 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,812 | 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,420 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,532 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 204 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .537 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .926 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Frank Robinson outpaces Ted Simmons 67,113 to 20,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,051 PIV per season to 959, across 22 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).
Frank Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Frank Robinson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ted Simmons owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Frank Robinson. PIV agrees: Frank Robinson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Frank Robinson and Ted Simmons careers compare
Frank Robinson and Ted Simmons were active at the same time between 1968 and 1976. The two careers are close in length, 2,808 games for Frank Robinson and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Frank Robinson. Plate discipline differs: Frank Robinson struck out more than walked (1,532 to 1,420), but Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). Frank Robinson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 586 of 2,943 hits leaving the park.
Frank Robinson vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Frank Robinson or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Frank Robinson leads Ted Simmons in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Frank Robinson or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Frank Robinson, with 586 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Frank Robinson, with .926 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Frank Robinson, with .294 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Frank Robinson, with 2,943 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.