- MANAGER: Dusty Baker
- HOME PARK: Capital Field
- TOP POSITION PLAYER: 3B Wade Boggs (11)
- TOP PITCHER: N/R
- TOP PROSPECT: LF Babe Ruth (4)
- 26TH MAN: Nolan Arenado
We round off these previews on a high with the Washington Grays. The Bambino’s presence rightfully gobbles up most of the hoopla around this club, but this is far from a one-man band, with players such as Frisch, Charlie Hustle, Yaz, Boggs and Josh Gibson all able to more than hold their own. Big Don Drysdale leads an excellent pitching corps that also features Prince Hal Newhouser, Schilling and Pettite. 26th Man Arenado adds that X Factor to a squad full to the brim with talent, and they are another franchise with solid defence, versatility and speed.
A quick word on The Babe to finish up with. My hope was to have him as a two-way player all the way through but the game simply wouldn’t allow it, so I settled on him being a full-time position player (it was at this time I also decided on adding the DH to the league, truth be told). So his ratings reflect the lack of IRL ABs in the early seasons, which means he won’t be much of a factor for the first few years. But after that, look out Paragon League!
1961 PREDICTIONS
RECORD: 80-88, t-2nd in East, 12 GB
HITTING: .285 / 73 HR / 777 R / 132 SB
PITCHING: 4.52 ERA / 903 K / 825 R / 545 BB