Ted Simmons vs Gene Tenace: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Simmons 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). Ted Simmons played 1968–1988 as a hitter; Gene Tenace played 1969–1983 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 Gene Tenace (1969–1983) — 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; Gene Tenace finished with 1,060 hits and 201 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 Gene Tenace's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gene Tenace, with .817 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Simmons, with .285 to Gene Tenace's .241.
- Who had more hits? Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gene Tenace's 1,060.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Simmons, with 1,389 to Gene Tenace's 674.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Simmons, with 20,131 career PIV to Gene Tenace's 18,534.
- Who won more championships? Gene Tenace, with 4 World Series titles to Ted Simmons's 0.
Ted Simmons
Gene Tenace
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ted Simmons and Gene Tenace. 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 | Gene Tenace |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,456 | 1,555 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,680 | 4,390 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,074 | 653 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,472 | 1,060 |
| Doubles | Leads: 483 | 179 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 20 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 248 | 201 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,389 | 674 |
| Walks | 855 | Leads: 984 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 694 | 998 |
| Stolen Bases | 21 | Leads: 36 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .285 | .241 |
| On-Base % | .348 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .437 | .429 |
| OPS | .785 | Leads: .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Simmons edges Gene Tenace 20,131 to 18,534 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ted Simmons played 21 seasons to Gene Tenace's 15, while Gene Tenace carries the higher per-season figure (1,236 to 959). 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
Gene Tenace — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Simmons leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Gene Tenace owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Simmons. PIV agrees: Ted Simmons 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 Gene Tenace careers compare
The careers of Ted Simmons (1968–1988) and Gene Tenace (1969–1983) overlapped from 1969 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 2,456 games of Ted Simmons with 1,555 of Gene Tenace across 21 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Gene Tenace comes out ahead, it is in walks (984 to 855), stolen bases (36 to 21), and on-base percentage (.388 to .348). Plate discipline differs: Ted Simmons walked more often than struck out (855 walks, 694 strikeouts), but Gene Tenace struck out more than walked (998 to 984).
Ted Simmons vs Gene Tenace: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ted Simmons or Gene Tenace?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Simmons leads Gene Tenace in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ted Simmons or Gene Tenace hit more home runs?
- Ted Simmons, with 248 to Gene Tenace's 201.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gene Tenace, with .817 to Ted Simmons's .785.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Simmons, with .285 to Gene Tenace's .241.
- Who had more hits?
- Ted Simmons, with 2,472 to Gene Tenace's 1,060.