Ted Simmons vs Darryl Strawberry: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Darryl Strawberry played 1983–1999 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 Darryl Strawberry (1983–1999) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ted Simmons finished with 2,472 hits and 248 home runs; Darryl Strawberry finished with 1,401 hits and 335 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS? Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,000.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Darryl Strawberry, with 22,150 career PIV to Ted Simmons's 20,131.
- Who won more championships? Darryl Strawberry, with 4 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ted Simmons
Darryl Strawberry
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ted Simmons and Darryl Strawberry. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ted Simmons | Darryl Strawberry |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,456 | 1,583 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,680 | 5,418 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,074 | 898 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,472 | 1,401 |
| Doubles | Leads: 483 | 256 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 248 | Leads: 335 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,389 | 1,000 |
| Walks | Leads: 855 | 816 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 694 | 1,352 |
| Stolen Bases | 21 | Leads: 221 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .259 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | .437 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .862 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Darryl Strawberry leads Ted Simmons 22,150 to 20,131 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 959 — rather than by longevity, since Darryl Strawberry played 17 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
Darryl Strawberry — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Darryl Strawberry leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Ted Simmons owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Darryl Strawberry. PIV agrees: Darryl Strawberry 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 Darryl Strawberry careers compare
From 1983 through 1988, Ted Simmons and Darryl Strawberry were in the majors together. Ted Simmons has the far longer record, 2,456 games against 1,583 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. At the plate, Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts), while Darryl Strawberry struck out more than walked (1,352 to 816). Darryl Strawberry is the more power-leaning hitter, with 335 of 1,401 hits leaving the park. Darryl Strawberry was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Darryl Strawberry holds the edge, .357 to .348.
Ted Simmons vs Darryl Strawberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ted Simmons or Darryl Strawberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Darryl Strawberry in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ted Simmons or Darryl Strawberry hit more home runs?
- Darryl Strawberry, with 335 to Ted Simmons's 248.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Darryl Strawberry, with .862 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Darryl Strawberry's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Darryl Strawberry's 1,401.