- MANAGER: John McGraw
- HOME PARK: GNB Ballpark
- TOP POSITION PLAYER: N/R
- TOP PITCHER: Dwight Gooden (1)
- TOP PROSPECT: Gooden (8)
- 26TH MAN: Aaron Judge
There’s very much an element of sim imitating life with the Gothams, as Gooden, Judge and deGrom are all here, and this squad is up there among the best, as you’d expect from a team located in NYC (sorry, Mets fans, no disrespect meant...). They’ll be tough to beat from go to whoa, with both Doc and The Big Train rating highly at the start and set to overpower lineups in these early seasons before most players have sufficiently developed, but their offence is a bit of a slow-burner which might mean a few years of frustration before glory comes their way. Bagwell, Alomar, Mathews and Grich give them one of the premier infield groups, and it should be exciting to see Judgey and Andruw Jones – the AJ Twins – sharing the outfield with the mighty Oscar Charleston. Behind the big three pitchers I have mentioned lurks a staff of real smokies such as Bartolo Colon, Spahn, Wells and Kevin Brown – guys who could be great or greatly disappointing. As always in the Big Apple, it sure as Shinola won’t be dull.
1961 PREDICTIONS
RECORD: 87-81, t-2nd in North, 2 GB
HITTING: .248 / 129 HR / 684 R / 114 SB
PITCHING: 3.42 ERA / 1130 K / 636 R / 430 BB