Pete Rose vs Ted Simmons: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Pete Rose (1963–1986) and Ted Simmons (1968–1988) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 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 Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Simmons, with .785 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Pete Rose, with 40,772 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Pete Rose
Ted Simmons
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Pete Rose 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Rose | Ted Simmons |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,562 | 2,456 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 14,053 | 8,680 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,165 | 1,074 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,256 | 2,472 |
| Doubles | Leads: 746 | 483 |
| Triples | Leads: 135 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 160 | Leads: 248 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,389 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,566 | 855 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,143 | 694 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 198 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .375 | .348 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .437 |
| OPS | .784 | Leads: .785 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Rose outpaces Ted Simmons 40,772 to 20,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,631 PIV per season to 959, across 25 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).
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Rose leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ted Simmons owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV agrees: Pete Rose grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Rose and Ted Simmons careers compare
Pete Rose and Ted Simmons were active at the same time between 1968 and 1986. The two careers are close in length, 3,562 games for Pete Rose and 2,456 for Ted Simmons across 25 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Ted Simmons are home runs (248 to 160), RBI (1,389 to 1,314), and slugging percentage (.437 to .409). At the plate, Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts), and Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts).
Pete Rose vs Ted Simmons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Rose or Ted Simmons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Ted Simmons in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Pete Rose or Ted Simmons hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Simmons, with .785 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Ted Simmons's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Ted Simmons's 2,472.