Ted Simmons vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Stargell 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). Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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
Ted Simmons (1968–1988) and Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Stargell, with 1,540 to Ted Simmons's 1,389.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Stargell, with 42,804 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Willie Stargell, with 2 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ted Simmons
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ted Simmons and Willie Stargell. 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 | Ted Simmons | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,456 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,680 | 7,927 |
| Runs | 1,074 | Leads: 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,472 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 483 | 423 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 248 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | 1,389 | Leads: 1,540 |
| Walks | 855 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 694 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 21 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .282 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .437 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Stargell outpaces Ted Simmons 42,804 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 2,038 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Willie Stargell played 21 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).
Ted Simmons — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Stargell leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Ted Simmons owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Stargell. PIV agrees: Willie Stargell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ted Simmons and Willie Stargell careers compare
From 1968 through 1982, Ted Simmons and Willie Stargell were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,456 games for Ted Simmons and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts), but Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937). Willie Stargell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 475 of 2,232 hits leaving the park. Willie Stargell's slugging percentage of .529 tops Ted Simmons's .437.
Ted Simmons vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ted Simmons or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Stargell leads Ted Simmons in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ted Simmons or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.