Ted Lyle Simmons, nicknamed "Simba", is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Atlanta Braves. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Johnny Bench, Simmons is considered one of the best hitting catchers in MLB history. While his power numbers paled in comparison to Bench, Simmons still managed to hit for a higher batting average despite playing home games in a notoriously tough hitter's park.