Al Simmons vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Al Simmons played 1924–1944 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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
Al Simmons (1924–1944) and Paul Waner (1926–1945) — both debuted in the 1920s. Al Simmons finished with 2,927 hits and 307 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Paul Waner, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Simmons, with 307 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Simmons, with .915 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Simmons, with .334 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Al Simmons's 2,927.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Simmons, with 1,827 to Paul Waner's 1,309.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Simmons, with 40,529 career PIV to Paul Waner's 40,296.
Al Simmons
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Simmons and Paul Waner. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Al Simmons | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,215 | 2,549 |
| At-Bats not scored | 8,759 | 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,507 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,927 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 539 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 149 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 307 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,827 | 1,309 |
| Walks | 615 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 737 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 88 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .333 |
| On-Base % | .380 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .535 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .915 | .878 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Simmons edges Paul Waner 40,529 to 40,296 — driven by per-season impact — 2,026 PIV per season to 2,015 — rather than by longevity, since Al Simmons played 20 seasons to Paul Waner's 20. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Al Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Paul Waner leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Al Simmons leads 5: home runs, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Al Simmons higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Simmons and Paul Waner careers compare
From 1926 through 1944, Al Simmons and Paul Waner were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,215 games for Al Simmons and 2,549 for Paul Waner across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Al Simmons struck out more than walked (737 to 615), while Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Al Simmons is the more power-leaning hitter, with 307 of 2,927 hits leaving the park. Paul Waner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Al Simmons's slugging percentage of .535 tops Paul Waner's .473.
Al Simmons vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Simmons or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Al Simmons in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Simmons or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Al Simmons, with 307 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Simmons, with .915 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Simmons, with .334 to Paul Waner's .333.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Al Simmons's 2,927.