Joe Simpson
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1975-1983)
Joe Simpson was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1983 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Seattle Mariners, and the Kansas City Royals, a span of 9 seasons. In 607 career games, he hit .242 with 338 hits, 9 home runs, and 124 RBI.
- 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
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'3" / 175 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1975-09-02
- Last Game
- 1983-10-01
Full name: Joe Allen Simpson
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 607 | 1,397 | 166 | 338 | 54 | 12 | 9 | 124 | 45 | 90 | 190 | .242 | .289 | .317 | .607 | -2,891 |
Career AVG .242 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 7.2% below league average.
Career OBP .289 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 11.0% below league average.
Career SLG .317 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 17.4% below league average.
Career OPS .607 vs. league average .709 across their career seasons — 14.5% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | LAN | NL | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1976 | LAN | NL | 23 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .133 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | LAN | NL | 29 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | .174 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1978 | LAN | NL | 10 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .400 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1979 | SEA | AL | 120 | 265 | 29 | 75 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 6 | 11 | 21 | .283 | .265 (+7%) | .329 (-5%) | .397 (-13%) | .727 (-9%) | -407.2 |
| 1980 | SEA | AL | 129 | 365 | 42 | 91 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 17 | 28 | 43 | .249 | .264 (-6%) | .326 (-7%) | .387 (-15%) | .714 (-11%) | -655.0 |
| 1981 | SEA | AL | 91 | 288 | 32 | 64 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 15 | 41 | .222 | .255 (-13%) | .320 (-18%) | .368 (-18%) | .688 (-18%) | -851.4 |
| 1982 | SEA | AL | 105 | 296 | 39 | 76 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 8 | 22 | 48 | .257 | .261 (-2%) | .324 (-4%) | .388 (-10%) | .712 (-7%) | -331.2 |
| 1983 | KCA | AL | 91 | 119 | 16 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 21 | .168 | .260 (-36%) | .324 (-24%) | .389 (-44%) | .714 (-35%) | -646.3 |
| Career · 9 seasons | 607 | 1,397 | 166 | 338 | 54 | 12 | 9 | 124 | 45 | 90 | 190 | .242 | — | — | — | — | -2,891 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | KCA | AL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.00 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.00 | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (609 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 312 | 658 | 87 | 153 | 5 | 60 | .233 |
| Away | 295 | 739 | 79 | 185 | 4 | 64 | .250 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
| Away | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9.00 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-10-01 | KCR | OAK | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-28 | KCR | SEA | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-23 | KCR | MIN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-22 | KCR | MIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-17 | KCR | OAK | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-16 | KCR | OAK | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-14 | KCR | LAA | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-11 | KCR | MIN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-05 | KCR | SEA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-09-03 | KCR | TEX | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 2 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-09-05 | KCR | SEA | — | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983-09-01 | KCR | CHW | — | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 58 | 9 | 185 | 17 | 3 | 20 |
| OF | 511 | 333 | 896 | 37 | 21 | 9 |
| P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | LAN | OF | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | LAN | OF | 20 | 8 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | LAN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | LAN | OF | 28 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | LAN | OF | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | SEA | OF | 105 | 66 | 162 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| 1980 | SEA | 1B | 3 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1980 | SEA | OF | 119 | 91 | 205 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1981 | SEA | OF | 88 | 69 | 219 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 1982 | SEA | OF | 97 | 71 | 177 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | KCA | 1B | 54 | 8 | 167 | 14 | 1 | 18 |
| 1983 | KCA | OF | 38 | 22 | 75 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 1983 | KCA | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 2 |
| First Base | 58 |
| Left Field | 100 |
| Center Field | 228 |
| Right Field | 198 |
| Designated Hitter | 6 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma | Norman | OK | 1971, 1972, 1973 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Joe Simpson (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Joe Simpson: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 2, 1975 and the final game on October 1, 1983, Joe Simpson built the record summarized on this page. The team column moves through the Los Angeles Dodgers (1975 to 1978), the Seattle Mariners (1979 to 1982), and the Kansas City Royals (1983). Simpson played primarily as an outfielder and batted and threw left-handed. The bio adds a birth date on December 31, 1951, in Purcell, OK, USA and a listed size of 175 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame. Joe Simpson was the playing name; the full given name is Joe Allen.
The batting record for Simpson: 607 games, 338 hits in 1,397 at bats, and a .242 average; the totals also include 9 home runs, 124 runs batted in, and 45 stolen bases. Simpson got on base at a .289 rate and slugged .317 (.607 OPS). Simpson's .242 average ran 7.2% below the .261 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 14.5% below league average (.607 against .709).
Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Simpson
- What years did Joe Simpson play?
- Joe Simpson played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1983.
- Was Joe Simpson a pitcher?
- No. Joe Simpson was a position player (Outfielder), though he did pitch in 2 career games.
- How many home runs did Joe Simpson hit?
- Joe Simpson hit 9 career home runs with 338 hits.
- What teams did Joe Simpson play for?
- Joe Simpson played for 3 teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers (1975–1978), the Seattle Mariners (1979–1982), and the Kansas City Royals (1983).
- What were Joe Simpson's career stats?
- In 607 games, Joe Simpson had 338 hits, 9 home runs, 124 RBI, 166 runs, and 45 stolen bases, with a .242 batting average.
- What position did Joe Simpson play?
- Joe Simpson played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Joe Simpson and how much did he weigh?
- Joe Simpson was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 175 pounds.
- How many home runs did Joe Simpson hit each season?
- Joe Simpson's home runs by season: 0 in 1975, 0 in 1976, 0 in 1977, 0 in 1978, 2 in 1979, 3 in 1980, 2 in 1981, 2 in 1982, and 0 in 1983. His most in one season was 3, in 1980.
- What was Joe Simpson's career batting average?
- Joe Simpson batted .242 over his career, with 338 hits in 1,397 at bats.
- How many RBI did Joe Simpson have?
- Joe Simpson drove in 124 runs in his career.
- What was Joe Simpson's career ERA?
- Joe Simpson finished with a 3.00 career ERA, going 0-0 with 1 strikeouts.
- Is Joe Simpson in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Joe Simpson has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.