By Dr. Rug
Bonjour mes amis!
How is the fastball world feeling as we stolidly trudge through the deep freeze towards another hope-filled fastball spring training. We still have months to go but since the Blue Jays and the rest of the MLB reported to their spring training camps today, there’s at least a sliver of hope that our fastball season is on the horizon. If you squint hard enough you just might be able to envision the start of the spring melt on Tommy Forrest. Or maybe I’m a little delusional from my gin-induced winter hibernation. Regardless, the YK Fastball League is on my mind these days which means that it’s time to dive into Dr. Rug’s first attempt at a 2025 season preview.
Before we get started, I hope that you all have been following along with Mr. Coustom and I on our journey into podcasting. Yes, Nived Coustom and Dr. Rug have a podcast. If this is news to you, I understand. If you’re currently shaking your head in disbelief over two old-school guys such as ourselves trying to navigate the podcasting world, know that I’m nodding my head in agreement. If you’re laughing to yourself picturing us trying to record a podcast as a dog chews through a microphone cord, you no longer have to picture it, you can listen along as it happens. For those of you on Spotify, you can find the podcast here. For those of you not on Spotify, you can find the podcast by joining Spotify and clicking on the previous link (oh, and we’re also on Bluesky). For anyone that has listened along with us and are wondering why there has been radio silence since the last episode was released way back on January 12th, and why there are only two episodes total? Well, I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus so instead let me just assure you that there are more episodes on the way. We’ve got about 5 of them in the queue but when they will arrive, no one really knows. In fact, it’s very similar to how we churn out our articles, we come up with a great idea but have no idea when it will come to fruition. Time passes, eventually something magical appears on the fastball website, and we bask in the accolades. It’s a time-honoured tradition so why would we want to change things up for the podcast?
Another time-honoured tradition is Dr. Rug rambling on incoherently in his article introductions. I’m happy to say that’s been accomplished once again which means I can get to the meat of the article. Here we go.
Or maybe not.
Sorry, before we get there, please allow me to ramble a tiny bit more.
I know you’ve probably grown to appreciate the interplay between Mr. Coustom and myself in these articles, and you’ve probably grown to love his writing style and sense of humour a lot more than you do my own. Understandable, he’s great! Unfortunately, today I’m back on my own for this article. Mr. Coustom and I will undoubtedly team up on some more entertaining works this year (including a better season preview), and the podcast episodes will continue to record even if they never get edited or released, but for today, for this first 2025 season preview, you’ve got only the good Dr. Rug to see you through.
Alas.
Onward.
2025 is here. Welcome to a quarter century into the 2000s. That seems a little wild.
From a YK Fastball perspective, there is one question on everyone’s mind as we enter the ’25 season; can anyone end the Rockies title streak? The obvious answer is yes, because f*ck the Rockies. But that was the prevailing opinion throughout 2024 as well and we all know how that turned out. So, contrary to the typical 2025 approach in the world of ours which consists of throwing out random hyperbole with no factual back-up, we’re going to take some time to break this down and provide some team-by-team odds for potential ways that the Rockies title streak may end.
D&A Maintenance Mariners
Unlike some of the squads in the league, another year older is a good thing for the majority of the guys on this Mariners team (with a couple of obvious notable exceptions). I anticipate a marked improvement from the Mariners this year but if we’re being realistic, in order to end the Rockies title streak the Mariners would first have to make it to a Sunday of a tournament. Then, they would need to have the game of their lives. I can visualize a world where the Mariners meet the Rockies in a quarterfinal, the Rockies throw Plotner on the mound, and the Mariners lock in on his off-speed stuff and put up a bunch of runs. Unfortunately for the Mariners, even in this scenario I see them losing as the Rockies would likely put up more than a bunch of runs. Perhaps the way to the Mariners ending the Rockies streak is to have old-school Bruce on the mound, hitting every 4th batter and instilling fear in everyone stepping into the box. Unlikely at best.
Odds that the Mariners end the Rockies streak: +50000
Tamarack Thunder
Next up on the odds list, the Tamarack Thunder. Much like the Mariners, the Thunder are a team that should see continued improvement this year. Assuming that AJ has more time to focus on developing his pitching than he does on editing podcasts (I retract what I said earlier about not throwing anyone under the bus), this team should continue to improve in 2025 and no longer be an automatic W when you see them on the schedule. If Nik and Bryson are both back, and if they continue to improve as expected, this line-up could start to put up some runs on a regular basis. They’re kind of like the Cleveland team from about halfway through the movie Major League. It would still take a heroic effort from Matty K. or AJ on the mound combined with so unreal hitting and a lucky bounce or two, but the idea of the Thunder scoring a Sunday tournament upset isn’t quite as unbelievable as it would have been a year or two ago.
Odds the Thunder end the Rockies streak: +10000
Hay River Heat
Are the Hay River Heat still a team? Or did they officially retire those jerseys and the Heat name after their 6th place finish in last year’s Solstice Showdown? For the sake of “Heat ‘Er Up” (trademarked Tanya Ruben) let’s hope that the Heat survive. There are two avenues by which I see a Hay River team ending the Rockies streak. The first option is that they come into 2025 focused on ball, players are actually showing up to practices, and Lyndon gets back into prime pitching shape. The second option is that Glenn hires some ringer pitcher from northern Alberta to work for the Town and they shock everyone by mowing through the competition with Mr. Ringer on the mound. Probably equal chances of each of these options occurring.
Odds the Heat end the Rockies streak: +6000
Inuvik Phillies
Last year’s Territorial finalists would be a little higher on the odds list if a) they were playing in the Solstice Showdown and/or b) they were confirmed for the Territorials. I am hoping that they show up for Territorials but given that the Rockies streak may end in the Solstice tourney, the Inuvik odds are lower than they might otherwise be. This team showed impressive skill at last year’s Territorials, especially on the defensive side of things. They are one of the best all-around squads in the Territory and I expect them to once again be a contender for the Territorial championship at this year’s tournament in Hay River.
Odds the Phillies end the Rockies streak: +1800
Slades Fire Protection Expos
As far as I can tell the last time the Expos didn’t make at least the semi-finals of a tournament they entered was way back in 2019 at the Summer Showdown. They haven’t necessarily participated in every tournament since, but it’s still very impressive that a team that hovers somewhere around mediocrity has gone over 5 years straight of making the semis in every tourney. It goes to show that with #VoteMitch on the mound, anything is possible. As 2025 comes into view, I expect more of the same out of the Expos. They will continue to provide a solid, if unspectacular, performance in every aspect of the game. Will they rise up this year and pull off a stunning upset? I doubt it… but… I wouldn’t bet against it.
Odds the Expos end the Rockies streak: +1200
Hay River Pirates
See the write-up for the Hay River Heat but with better odds that any Hay River team that does show up for a tournament or two this year just goes by the Pirates name. I have the Pirates ahead of Inuvik solely because I expect them to make it to the Solstice Showdown, not because of the skill levels.
Odds the Pirates end the Rockies streak: +1000
Fire Prevention Prospectors
Steve.
As always when we talk about the Prospectors it comes down to one variable. Steve. Hopefully we have the second half of SteveSquared back this season to improve both the Prospectors backstop skills and the overall level of chirping in the league. He was certainly missed last season in both respects. With the Merchants headed to a southern tournament on the June 27th weekend, I fully expect Steve to be at the top of his game for the Solstice Tournament. With Steve peaking, and hopefully a few lively bats, the Prospectors should be one of the odds-on favourites for the initial tourney. That makes them one of my favourites to end the streak.
Odds that Steve ends the Rockies streak: +300
Gastown Giants
And, of course, there’s always the Giants. On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Mariners, another year older isn’t doing any favours for this team and they are certainly the team most likely to see a decline rather than an improvement in 2025. But even with a slight decline, they are still consistently the best team in the league not named Rockies. The 2025 Solstice Showdown will mark two years since the Giants last won a tournament, so you know they’ll be heading into that weekend with a chip on their collective shoulders. They would undoubtedly tell you they’ve still got a lot left in the tank, but the recent results suggest otherwise. 2025 will be a year that answers a lot of questions for this perennial contender:
Are they still a contender?
Are the best years in the rearview?
Is it time to tear it all down and rebuild?
Can they still be at their best when it matters?
And most importantly, can they beat the Rockies?
Odds the Giants end the Rockies streak: +275
Optimum Crush Rockies
The reality of this Rockies team is that when this tournament title streak ends, it’s most likely going to be because of self-inflicted wounds. Whether it be an ill-advised pitching decision, the bats going cold at the wrong time, some baserunning gaffes, a couple of inexplicable errors in the field, or a combination of these factors. We’ve done a lot of work on Tommy Forrest over the years, but eventually a Tommy Hop (and Burger Bob’s ghost) will still catch every team at the wrong time and put an end to even the most impressive streaks. So enjoy it while you can Rockies, ride the high, savour the sweetness, celebrate the victories… the end is inevitable.
Odds the Rockies end the Rockies streak: -150
Now, if I were a betting man (I am), and if Vegas were actually taking bets on this action (they’re not), I’d be extremely tempted to throw a little cash on Slades at +1200 for a few reasons. Number one, it’s boring betting on the favourites and does anyone really want to see the streak end to the Giants? Number two, extreme long shots are fun but they’re extreme long shots for a reason. And finally, number three, the Expos are in the semifinals every tournament, they’re going to have a shot to end this streak. As the poker saying goes, a chip and a chair.
$10 on the Expos at twelve to one would almost be enough to cover my Sunday beer gardens tab.
Any takers?
Yellowknife Fastball League 