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Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949 in Highland Park, Michigan) is an American former professional baseball player and coach.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Ted Simmons )〕 A switch-hitter, Simmons was a catcher for most of his Major League Baseball career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1968–80), the Milwaukee Brewers (1981–85) and the Atlanta Braves (1986–88).〔 Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Johnny Bench, Simmons is considered one of the best hitting catchers in Major League baseball history. While he didn't possess Bench's power hitting ability, he hit for a higher batting average. A volatile competitor with an intense desire to win, Simmons once fought with team-mate John Denny during a game at Busch Memorial Stadium, in the runway between the club house and the dugout. ==Baseball career== Simmons was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals as their first round pick in the 1967 Major League Baseball Draft.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1967 Major League Baseball Draft )〕 He made his major league debut with the Cardinals, appearing in two games during the 1968 pennant-winning season, while playing most of the year in the minor leagues.〔 Simmons spent another year in Triple-A baseball before returning to the major leagues in 1970 where he platooned alongside catcher Joe Torre.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1970 St. Louis Cardinals )〕 In 1971, the Cardinals converted Torre into a third baseman and Simmons took over as their starting catcher, posting a .304 batting average with 7 home runs and 77 runs batted in.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1971 St. Louis Cardinals )〕 He finished 16th in balloting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award as the Cardinals finished in second place behind the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Eastern Division.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting results )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1971 National League Final Standings )〕 Simmons refused to sign a contract for the amount of salary offered by the Cardinals in 1972, electing to play without a contract. He ultimately signed a contract well into the season during which he was recognized as one of the top catchers in the league by earning a spot as a reserve on the National League All-Star team.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1972 All-Star Game )〕 He finished the year with a .303 batting average with 16 home runs and 96 runs batted in, breaking Walker Cooper's team record for RBIs by a catcher and, set the team record for home runs by a catcher, previously held jointly by Gene Oliver and Tim McCarver.〔〔 His defense began to improve as well, posting a .991 fielding percentage and leading National League catchers in assists and in putouts.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1972 National League Fielding Leaders )〕 Despite the Cardinals finishing the season in fourth place, Simmons would finish in 10th place in the National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1972 National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting results )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1972 National League Final Standings )〕 Simmons continued to produce offensively in 1973 with a .310 batting average, along with 13 home runs and 91 runs batted in.〔 He also led the league's catchers in putouts and finished second in assists, earning his second All-Star berth as the Cardinals again finished the season in second place.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1973 National League Fielding Leaders )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1973 All-Star Game )〕 In 1975, Simmons hit 18 home runs along with 100 runs batted and posted a career-high .332 batting average, finishing second in the National League batting championship behind Bill Madlock.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1975 National League Batting Leaders )〕 He also set a National League single-season record for most hits by a catcher with 188.〔〔 He finished in 6th place in the National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting as the Cardinals ended the season in fourth place.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1975 National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting results )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1975 National League Final Standings )〕 Simmons broke Johnny Bench's nine-year stranglehold as the starting catcher for the National League All-Star team when he was elected to be the starting catcher for the National League in the All-Star Game.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1978 All-Star Game )〕 Simmons led the Cardinals in RBIs every year from 1972 until 1978. He had another strong year in 1980, hitting .303 with 21 home runs and 98 runs batted in to win the inaugural Silver Slugger Award which is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1980 Silver Slugger Award Winners )〕 After feuding with Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog, Simmons was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in December 1980.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Ted Simmons )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Ted Simmons Trades and Transactions )〕 His batting averaged fell to .216 in his first season in the American League but, he rebounded in 1982 with a .269 batting average with 23 home runs and 96 runs batted and led American League catchers with a .995 fielding percentage in 121 games.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1982 American League Fielding Leaders )〕 The Brewers clinched the American League Eastern Division title, then defeated the California Angels in the 1982 American League Championship Series.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1982 American League Championship Series )〕 Simmons met his old team, the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 World Series, hitting two home runs before the Brewers lost in a seven-game series.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1982 World Series )〕 Simmons had one more good year in 1983 when he hit for a .308 batting average with 13 home runs and 108 runs batted in and earned his eighth and final All-Star berth.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1983 All-Star Game )〕 His batting average fell to a .221 in 1984 and in March 1986 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves.〔〔 He spent three seasons with the Braves as a utility player and pinch hitter before retiring as a player in 1988.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ted Simmons」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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