Anola Attack

Team Info
Owner: Don Hunt
Joined: 2001
Park: Camden Yards

Franchise History
NL Central
Long Island Express
(1998-1999)

AL West
Long Island Express
(2000)
Anola Attack
(Present)

Team History
Regular Season
2000 64-98 (4th)
1999 64-98 (3rd) 
1998 87-75 (2nd)

Playoffs
(None)

Projected Line-Up

Rotation 
1. R. Clemens 
2. T. Hudson
3. R. Reed
4. P. Rapp 
5. W. Blair

Closer 
A. Benitez 

Line-Up
1. D. Deshields 2B 
2. J. Damon CF
3. R. Greer LF
4. J. Dye RF
5. J. Burnitz DH
6. T. Batista 3B
7. L. Stevens 1B
8. J. Oliver C
9. A. Mora SS











The "Rocket" will 
provide veteran 
leadership to the
rotation.

     A new year and a new owner. The Attack franchise has never 
been to the playoffs. This year they have a legitmate shot with the 
likes of Dye, Damon and Burnitz, along with a rotation headed by 
Clemens and Hudson. One question remains though, who will step 
up in the rotation?

Rotation
     The "Rocket" has landed, he's the master and it appears that 
Tim Hudson could be the student following him to a long and
illustrias career. The rest of the rotation rounds out with Rick 
Reed, Pat Rapp, and Willie Blair. 
     Hudson is poised to have a breakout season. Scouts have 
compared him to Clemens and playing along side him won't stop 
those comparisons at all. He's most effective when he keeps the 
ball down in the strike zone and limits his walks.
     Clemens has been a work horse in the past, but you have to 
wonder how long his 37 year old back will hold up. Any DL time
 will put pressure on the rest of the rotation to step up their game. 
     The Attack are hoping that Pat Rapp and Rick Reed are up to 
the challenge of the 3rd and 4th spots in the rotation. Reed has 
been very consistent but had some arm troubles last season which 
could be become a concern again. Rapp tends to be rather
inconsistent. One start he goes 7 or 8 solid innings and then the 
next start he gets yanked in 2nd inning. Anola management is 
hoping he can put it all together in 2001.
     Willie Blair grabs the 5th spot in the rotation. If becomes 
innefective he could be moved to the pen for mop up duty and 
have Scott Williamson replace him. Blair does not walk or 
strikeout alot of guys but he does get hit fairly hard too. Anola 
would rather have Williamson be a "go to" reliever and set-up 
man so they are hoping Blair can be competitive every 5th day. 
     Overall the rotation is much better than the average. Having 
Clemens and Hudson balances out most of the weakness of the 
rest of the staff. Even by looking at the rest of league some teams 
can be jealous of this rotation. The rotation does has some depth 
with the likes of Levrault, Spradlin, Tavarez, Lorraine, Norton, 
O'Conner and Andrews. But most of them are just filler and can't 
be expected to come in and get the job done for more than a 
few starts here and there. Also there is no lefty present, look for 
the Attack to try and aquire one near the trading deadline if they 
are still in the race for the division or the Wild Card spot.

Grade: B

Bullpen
     The bullpen will be the key to a good or bad season for the 
Anola Attack. The strength of the pen will be its abilitity to close 
games from the 8th inning and beyond. Armando Benitez will be 
the closer and his 95+ mph fastballs should lead to alot of saves. 
When Benitez is on he is practically unhittable, and his little bit 
of wildness adds to his repetoire. 
     Scott Williamson will be the main set-up guy and will probably 
be used in long relief when they really need 2 innings out of him 
to get to Benitez. The Bullpen is hoping that the rotation doesn't 
struggle as the sucess of the pen seems to lie in Williamson's hands. 
     Aaron Fultz has been given the job as the main lefty killer out 
of the pen. The young left hander does get alot of strikeouts but 
management would like to see cut down on the amount of hits 
allowed. Fultz has shown that he can get righties out when the 
opposing team avoids the percentage match-up.
     Long relief is more of a concern for the Attack Julian Tavarez 
is the only real proven arm. But he avareages over a hit an inning 
over the last 5 years and must cut that down in order to be 
effective. Jerry Spradlin will give you innings and puts the ball 
into play so if the defense can make plays he can become 
effective. If Bobby Chouinard can put his domestic problems 
behind him, he may be able to give the Attack some quality 
innings of relief.
     The upside for the staff is that its young. There is only a 
handfull of players that are over 30, and of those players only 
Clemens would be a tough guy to replace. Young prospects like 
lefties Andrews, Norton, and Jacquez combined with young 
righthanders like Ford, Levrault, and Willie Martinez shows that 
management has thought about replacing any aging arms any 
young guys who can prove their effectiveness. 

Grade: C+ 

Catching

     At Catcher the team has a solid veteran in Joe Oliver. Even 
though his age is of some concern and his bat or arm is not what 
it used to be, Oliver should get a fair amount of starts behind the 
plate. His main job will be to help caudle along the younger 
catchers like Raul Casanova. Raul will get his share of starts too 
as he has a better arm than Oliver. He's realtively young at 27
and still learning the tricks of the trade at his position. 
     Raul Chavez will start the year in the minors and may see 
some action if he gets his bat going or there is an injury. 
Fernando Lunar is the 4th cathcer in the organization and 
shouldn't be a huge factor this season as he is only 23. Give him 
a few years and he may steal the starting role away in spring 
training.
     Overall the catching position isn't the strength of this team 
but it shouldn't be a weaknes either. Having 4 catchers in the 
organization is a luxary many other teams would like to have. 
If Lunar has a good season in the minors he may be dealt for a
left handed starter. if the team is out the playoff race look for 
Oliver to be moved to a contending team.

Grade: B-

Infield
     The Attack posess a very solid infield overall, a good mix of 
age, although they still are a little bit on the older side. The 
strength of the Attack infield is at the hot corner. Tony Batista 
has proven that he can handle the defense at 3b and despite 
his WIDE OPEN batting style he can hit for power although the 
team would like him to be a little more selective at the plate. 
     Lee Stevens brings decent glove work at the 1st base 
position. He's not the best 1B around but he gets the job done 
and can be counted on for 15-25 HR's. The Attack are hoping 
he can stay healthy all year as he is beginning to experience 
some back trouble along with the occasional muscle pull. He's 
only 32 but his scrappy style of play is beginning to take its toll 
on him.
     Melvin Mora and Delino DeShields shores up the Attack's 
middle infield duo. This speedy pair are legitmate base 
stealing threats. There is a minor concern about DeShields 
defense and his ability to turn the pivot. He's promised the 
coaching staff that he will work hard on the double play with 
Mora during spring training.
     The Attack also have a fairly deep bench. Utility players 
like Jeff Frye, Shane Andrews, Luis Riva and Jose Hernandez 
add some veteran leadership as well as some decent pinch 
hitting options and late defensive switches. The infield 
overall is pretty solid.

Grade: B

Outfield
     The GSBL has to be drooling over the Anola outfield. 
They have an excellent balance of speed, power and great 
defense, perhaps the best overall combination in the 
league in Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, and Rusty Greer. 
They also have depth, which wonders why they don't deal 
someone for that lefty starter they so desperately 
need.
     Damon is will patrol CF, he has speed, a great glove, 
and has a lethal combination of hitting for average and 
some power at the plate. Jermaine Dye is young, has a 
strong bat and plays exceptional defense in RF. The team 
wishes he'd use his speed a little more, but is powerfull 
bat makes up for it. Left field will have Rusty Greer and 
his great acrobatic defensive style. That type of play 
lends itself to injuries, but with the depth Anola 
possesses with guys like Agbayani and Burnitz it won't 
ever be a problem. 
     Jeremy Burnitz will be the DH for the most part as his 
defense is as not as good as the others. The team want 
him to cut down on his strikeouts and work the counts a 
little deeper. They fell if he does that a 40 HR season 
isn't out of the question.
     The Attack have tremendous depth which as stated 
above, begs the question who will be dealt? 
Even trading a top player won't kill them as they have 
guys like Abbot, Mouton, and youngster Jason Conti 
ready to make a contribution to the club. The strength 
of the Attack is the outfield. Perhaps they will use it to 
upgrade elsewhere.
   
Grade: A+

Tim Hudson is the
"Ace" of the future.












Burnitz could be
trade bait to help
acquire more
piching.











Speedy DeShields
will set the table
for the Anola
offense.






PRESSURE PLAYER



Scott Williamson will
see alot of work out 
of the pen. The more 
effective he can be 
the better chance the 
Attack has for a 
Division title.













Jermaine Dye came 
into his own last 
season. Can he 
do it again?