Abominations Meet Season Goal Before September August 31, 2000
Anchorage AK (AP) - In what many have labeled a Cinderella season, the
Anchorage Abominations have ensured their first non-losing season in the
history of the franchise. And this comes with 29 games left on the schedule.
The Abominations, once doormats of the Enterprise League, have branded
a unique combination of great pitching and effective hitting, as well as a
profound team chemistry, to become one of the best teams in the entire PVBL
and a legitmate playoff contender. "We've come a long way since the days
of Stan Javier, Paul O'Neill, and Greg Vaughn in the outfield and Phil
Nevin, Juan Castro, and Eric Karros in the infield. Only one of our starting
five rotation has been with us since the move (to Anchorage)." said owner
Nick Tulach. "We've worked hard to bring in people that wanted to play
baseball, not just people that wanted the big contract. I'm happy for this
organization, but most of all the players. They been through hell in some
of these seasons. We've played the way I always thought these guys could play,
but we're not done yet."
Of the 25 players on the team's active roster, only nine were with the team
just two seasons ago when they moved to Anchorage. "Honestly, I was scared
(about the move). I thought 'baseball in Anchorage, are you nuts?', but
the ownership was committed to winning. We went through some rough times.
Low attendence, bad press, riots, missing mascot feet, magical cookie
conspricy. But it seemed to bring this group together and finally we've
pulled through. Attendence is up, we're playing cookie-free baseball, and
their have only been 11 days of riots in August. I can't remember the last
time we've had more days of peace then riotting in a month." said Willie
VanLandingham, the only remaining starter from the Cincinnati Bearcats days.
Anchorage had set the pre-season goal of the wildcard in the EL. They are
currently 2.5 games ahead of the Tijuana Border Patrol in the race for said
wild card. "Realistically, I thought 81 wins would have put us where we were
talent-wise. I thought we were another year from the wild-card, but everyone
pulled together, the fans included. They've been as big a part of this as
anyone." said VanLandingham.
The Abominations have had steadily decreasing attendence every
month since the move, until this July. Average attendence is still just
11,186 for the year. Poopmoose Park, named after the fabled Poopmoose candy
dispenser, has a capacity of 38,050. Game attendence has varied greatly
by opponent, from a near sell-out of 38,049 against Galena and on opening
day, to just 125 against the Medina Mustangs, the worst team in PVBL history.
Owner/manager Nick Tulach believes that his team will need to win 100 games
to ensure the wild card in the EL. That means Anchorage will have to win
19 of its last 29 games. A very difficult task, to say the least. "I'm
confident that this team can step up to the task and get to our goals. I'm
going to do everything I can to keep them focused on our goals as a team."
said Tulach.
Notes:
- Anchorage dealt away two more draft picks and young outfielder Cliff Floyd
this week. Floyd had been starting to gripe about playing time in the
locker room after being benched in favor of veteran outfielder Marquis
Grissom, who was acquired earlier this season from Atlanta. "Cliff was
being a (posterior)-hole for the last month or so. He'd throw (items)
around the locker room and (urinate) in other players lockers. I'd say
it was a bit of a distraction. I was about ready to (mess) him up." said
veteran Lance Johnson.
- Newcomer Brian Jordan arrived in Anchorage yesterday, a day later then
expected. When asked why he was late, Jordan said "They accidentally
sent me through customs, thinking I was going to Canada. They tried to
confisicate my prescription marijuana and cocaine, but I showed them the
note from my doctor and my destination and finally they let me through."
Jordan is on prescription coke and mari-jane for treatment of chronic
muscle soreness as a result of playing baseball.
