Ivan Rodriguez vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Ivan Rodriguez 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). Ivan Rodriguez played 1991–2011 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
Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ivan Rodriguez finished with 2,844 hits and 311 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? Ivan Rodriguez, with 311 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ivan Rodriguez, with .798 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Ivan Rodriguez's 1,332.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Ivan Rodriguez's 10,232.
- Who won more championships? Ivan Rodriguez, with 1 World Series title to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ivan Rodriguez
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ivan Rodriguez 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 | Ivan Rodriguez | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,543 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,592 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,354 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,844 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | Leads: 572 | 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 51 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 311 | 248 |
| RBI | 1,332 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | 513 | Leads: 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,474 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 127 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .464 | .437 |
| OPS | Leads: .798 | .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons outpaces Ivan Rodriguez 20,131 to 10,232 — driven by per-season impact — 959 PIV per season to 445 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Ivan Rodriguez's 23. 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).
Ivan Rodriguez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ivan Rodriguez leads in hits, home runs, runs, and stolen bases, while Ted Simmons owns RBI and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ivan Rodriguez. Note that PIV actually grades Ted Simmons ahead, which means Ivan Rodriguez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ivan Rodriguez and Ted Simmons careers compare
Ted Simmons (1968–1988) was finished before Ivan Rodriguez (1991–2011) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,543 games against 2,456 across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ted Simmons's edges on the table are RBI (1,389 to 1,332), walks (855 to 513), and on-base percentage (.348 to .334). At the plate, Ivan Rodriguez struck out more than walked (1,474 to 513), while Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts). On the bases, Ivan Rodriguez stole more often per game played (127 steals in 2,543 games for Ivan Rodriguez, 21 in 2,456 for Ted Simmons).
Ivan Rodriguez vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ivan Rodriguez or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ivan Rodriguez leads Ted Simmons in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ivan Rodriguez or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with 311 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with .798 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with .296 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ivan Rodriguez, with 2,844 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.