- Astros are YCOBL champions! Congratulations!
- Special thanks to Mother Nature for smiling on us this season with no rainouts.
- We hope everyone had a great time playing baseball in 2025.
- The banquet will be in March and we hope to see everyone there!
Welcome
Subscribe to our NewsletterSee Ya Down the Pike.....it's the year end edition of the FREDDY NEWSLETTER!!
OUT OF THIS WORLD
ASTROS DEFEAT ROCKIES 11-6 TO WIN 2025 WORLD SERIES TITLE
WORLD SERIES RECAP
On Sunday, the Astros did what no one in YCOBL history has ever done – make Bruce pay for a beer tab. They also won the 2025 world series with an 11-6 victory over the Rockies, and in doing so, became the first team in YCOBL history to finish with a 10-0 record. More on that later.
The game was closer than the final score would indicate, as a trio of outbursts decided the game. The first came from the Rockies, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. After two quick outs from Astros ace Tommy Hartlaub, the Rockies loaded the bases on a pair of walks and an infield single. Rockies manager Bob Eichelberger then cleared the bases with a double that was nearly caught by a diving Shane Jacoby. Tracy Fuller then brought Ike home with a single.
Rockies starter Rick Goebeler kept that cushion by retiring the first 6 batters of the game, including the top of the Astros order in the second, but the Astros erupted in the third. Hartlaub and Steve Hanson led off with singles before an uncharacteristic walk loaded the sacks with no outs. Oscar Blanco’s fielder’s choice got the Astros on the board, and an infield error brought in another run. Jeff Hostetter cut the gap to one with a double that scored Blanco, and Astros skipper Bruce Aylward followed with a 2-run single to put the Astros up front. Another infield error moved Aylward to third, and a fielder’s choice from Ron Barbour allowed Aylward to scamper home to put the Astros ahead 6-4.
The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but could muster just a single run, with Bryan Coakley’s sac fly scoring Fuller to cut the lead to one run. The Rockies then tied the game an inning later when a costly 2-out error allowed Carey Wertz to single home John Chronister off Astros reliever Justin Price to knot the game at 6-6.
But in the sixth, the Astros put together their second rally. With Eichelberger on the bump, the Astros retook the lead without a hit or a ball leaving the infield. Aylward reached on an error to start the inning. Then, sandwiched around a popup out, were three ground ball fielder’s choices – none of which yielded an out – with two errant throws and a controversial late throw to the plate to nab Aylward put the Astros ahead for good. With two outs and the sacks loaded, Price’s grounder went through the wickets of the shortstop to score two more, and Hartlaub followed with the only hit of the inning, a single that plated two more for the final margin.
Price then shut the door by completing a stellar relief performance, fanning the final two batters of the game to cement the Astros win.
Wertz and Fuller had two hits each for the Rockies, who outhit the Astros 11-7 on the afternoon, while Hartlaub was the lone multiple hitter for the Astros with a pair of singles.
Unofficially, the Rockies committed 6 errors on the day to just two miscues for the Astros.
PERFECTION ACHIEVED
The subplot of the game involved the Astros entering with a 9-0 record, attempting to complete the first 10-0 season, which they have now done. They were not, however, the first team to go undefeated.
Phil Kessler’s Orioles went 7-0 in the YCOBL’s inaugural season in 1991. Six years later, Mark McNaney’s Pirates went 7-0-1. In those seasons, no championship game was played as there were nine or fewer teams.
Jim Gleissner’s Mets won the second ever world series in 2000 to complete an 8-0-1 season. The league moved to a 10-game season in 2003, but the next undefeated campaign came in 2009 when Steve Robertson’s Blue Jays went 7-0-1 in a rain-shortened year. Then in 2018, Scott Meckley’s Dodgers went 7-0 in a year where it rained virtually every weekend.
There you have it, folks. And now that the Astros have defied the baseball gods, can someone do it again next season? We shall see.
ODDS AND ENDS
The American League won 5 of 8 games on knockdown weekend, and for the year went 16-8 against the senior circuit. The Astros and Rays each went 3-0 in crossover games, while the Phillies, Pirates, and Brewers were the only NL teams with winning records against the AL, each 2-1.
The NL did hold an advantage in home runs this year, however, as they belted 7 round trippers to the AL’s 2. The Diamondbacks were the only team to hit more than 1 home run as a team (2). Six of the dingers were hit by under-50s, and 3 of the AARP eligible crowd shot one over the fence. The 9 homers were down from 14 each of the previous two seasons. Eat your Wheaties this winter, fellas!
In the knockdown Freddy pickem’ contest, only two people were able to top Freddy’s 5-3 record. Your winner was Doug Arnold of the Royals, who went 7-1. Congrats, Doug! He edged the Astros Tommy Hartlaub and his 6-2 record. To that, Freddy says GOOD, it’s about time Hartlaub lost something this year. Six others joined Freddy at 5-3.
And speaking of your favorite oldtimers fan, Freddy Jr. utterly destroyed Blaze Ruth in his season-long picks, going 57-23 for an impressive 71% success rate. Blaze went a paltry 43-37 to barely finish even Steven. As always, the loser of their mano-y-mano bet has to shave the other’s back, a public service where everyone in the end is a winner.
Finally, MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the 2026 YCOBL Banquet and Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which will take place at Wisehaven events center on SATURDAY, MARCH 7. More reminders will be sent throughout the winter.
Everyone have a safe winter and we hope to see you at the banquet in March and on the field again next fall!
Player/Pitcher of the Week for 11/2/2025
Players and Pitchers of the Week for:
Game 10 (November 2, 2025)
AL Offense – Adrian Ferrer, Rays: 3 for 3, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, and 2 Doubles vs. Dodgers
Honorable Mention: Larry Smith (Orioles), Doug Arnold (Royals), Jim McMahon (Athletics)
NL Offense – Corbin Burt, Brewers: 3 for 3, 1 Run, and 1 RBI vs. Athletics
Honorable Mention: Andrew Mumma (Pirates), Cale Wentland (Pirates), Barry Lucabaugh (Padres)
AL Pitcher – Doug Arnold, Royals: 3 Innings, 2 Hits, 0 Runs, 1 Walk, 4 Ks, and a Save vs. Diamondbacks
NL Pitcher – Shane Bare, Pirates: 3 Innings, 0 Hits, 0 Runs, 1 Walk, 3 Ks, and a Save vs. Tigers
He orders takeout from a buffet...It's the FREDDY NEWSLETTER!!!
KNOCKDOWN WEEKEND 2025
How in the world is it already Knockdown Weekend? Time, once again flies. Perhaps making it feel even more fleeting is that we didn’t have one single weekend washed out by rai….nope, Freddy’s not gonna say it! Sunday calls for another outstanding fall forecast, so enjoy it fellas. Winter is just around the corner.
We’ll be back with a season ending recap newsletter next week. GOOD LUCK!
The People Have Spoken!
Week 10 Winners as chosen by the majority in the Freddy Pick’em Contest
(32 total votes)
Giants (28 votes to 4)
Padres (17-15)
Pirates (27-5)
A’s (29-3)
Royals (24-8)
Rays (31-1)
Guardians (23-9)
and…….
Astros (17-15)
FREDDY JR’s
KNOCKDOWN
FORECAST
TWINS vs. GIANTS
The Giants deserved a better knockdown matchup based on their record. Then again, with an NL-low .286 batting average, maybe this is the right spot for them. As for the Twins, they totally blew it. Winning your first game in week 9? No! You wait until week 10 to make it more dramatic! Last year, a Giants team (oh the irony) won their first game in week 9, then used the momentum to win again in week 10. History repeats itself. Twins finish strong.
PADRES vs. ORIOLES
These teams don’t just have the same record, they’ve both been equally snakebitten, with each having 4 losses by 4 or fewer runs. The Padres have nearly a 50 point advantage in team batting average, but they also walk batters like an Egyptian, while to O’s band of unexpected arms have kept them in most games. This one could go either way. If their wings can keep the ball within the area code, we’ll give the edge to the Padres.
TIGERS vs. PIRATES
The Pirates scored 30 runs in a pair of offensive explosions, but managed just 26 runs over their other 7 games. The Tigers, similarly, scored 42% of their season run output in a week 8 win. Take away those few outbursts, and each of these teams averages under 4 runs per game. So which version of these teams show up on this Halloween weekend, Dr. Wentland or Mr. Hoke? Freddy predicts an extra inning affair (4-4 after 7, of course), and a narrow win for the Pirates.
BREWERS vs. A’S
Scenario one: Brewers manager Chris Grothe presents a $100 gift card as a birthday surprise to rookie Corbin Burt, who responds with a 2-homer, 9 RBI performance to lead the Brew Crew to a resounding win. Scenario two: Grothe forgets it’s Burt’s birthday, a dejected Burt responds by sharing signals with the A’s, and Steve Mercado has his first career 7-hit game. Happy Birthday to Corbin (and to the Twins’ Jeff Tomison!) on Sunday. A’s spoil the party.
DIAMONDBACKS vs. ROYALS
At the midway point of the season, it’s fair to say neither of these teams envisioned being where they are now. The Dbacks got off to a dismal start, but have turned things around by winning 3 of their last 5. The Royals, meanwhile, started out 4-1 but have since stumbled, losing 3 of 4 since. Both squads’ pitching has been sneaky good most of the year, but on offense one team has consistently scored in bunches. It’s a Royal sendoff.
DODGERS vs. RAYS
Coach Goshorn has gained a reputation as a Giant killer, which is ironic since he couldn’t beat the Giants this year. The Dodgers gave the NL champ Rockies their first loss, and Gosh’s Gang handed last year’s World Series winner their only loss. But the Rays are different animal. Well, fish, actually. Crone’s Crew tops the league with a .383 batting average and has a trio of good arms. That’s too much Goliath for these Davids. Rays sting
PHILLIES vs. GUARDIANS
The Phillies have the second highest batting average in the NL, yet have scored the fewest runs in the division. How does that work? It helps by playing solid defense and limiting opponents to a paltry 41 runs. The Guardians lead the AL in multiple offensive and pitching categories, yet couldn’t win the big ones when it counted. These are two teams that will woulda-shoulda themselves all winter long. A worthy second-place matchup for sure. But in the end, who cares. Phillies win the bronze.
2025 WORLD SERIES
at McWilliams 12:45
Rockies (7-2) vs. Astros (9-0)
Shortly after the 2025 YCOBL draft, the talk around the room came to a consensus: Bruce and Ike had scary good teams. That sentiment was confirmed later in the preseason manager’s poll, which predicted the Rockies and Astros to finish first in their divisions. (Incidentally, the poll also had the Phillies and Guardians finishing second…well done!). After 6 weeks, both teams sported perfect records, and whispers of both teams running the table and a potential clash of unbeatens grew louder. While that didn’t come to fruition, the matchup most had their eyes on from day one has.
Usually in a game of this caliber, the deciding factor is pitching. But both teams are nearly mirror images of each other from the mound. Each team ranked first in their division in least runs allowed, and they were 1 and 2 in the YCOBL in WHIP, with the Astros having a league low 1.65 and the Rockies at 1.68. Aces Tommy Hartlaub and Rick Goebeler each have 7 wins on the campaign and stellar strikeout-walk ratios. Primary number 2 arms Steve Hanson and Bob Eichelberger won’t overpower, but both have been rock solid. The two areas where the teams differ is that the Astros staff has 48 strikeouts to only 30 for the Rockies (who shockingly ranked dead last in the NL in Ks). However, the Rockies counter by having issued just 14 free passes all year, half the Astros total of 28.
Offensively, it’s the Rockies that have the edge in almost all team categories. The Rockies led the NL in virtually every offensive stat, while the Astros were middle of the pack in the AL ranks. The Rockies team batting average of .382 is just a tick under the best in the league. Overall, the Rockies surpassed the Astros in runs, hits, batting average and OPS. Both teams like to swing away, with neither among the leaders in walks. Goebeler and the Astros’ Justin Price, both highly regarded as among the league’s best hitters, have lived up to their billing, leading their teams in several categories. The Rockies have 6 hitters batting over .400, while the Astros have 7.
Eichelberger’s first World Series appearance comes in just his second year as a manager. A year ago, Ike’s team lost its first 8 games, but he has since won 9 of his last 11. For Aylward, this will be his second appearance in the title game. There’s usually no such thing as a home field advantage in Oldtimers, but this will be the Astros’ sixth game at McWilliams this year, where they are obviously 5-0. Both managers’ draft strategies involved taking tried and true players they know well, but they both got solid production from their rookies, with Sean Englert, Bryan Hemcher, and John Marley making big contributions.
As the numbers dictate, both of these teams deserve their place in the title game. Yet two things stand out to Freddy. First, there’s the Rockies end of year fade where they lost 2 of their last 3, with the lone win being a 2-0 pennant-clincher over the previously winless Twins. In their first 6 games, the Rockies averaged 12 runs per game; in their last 3, its plummeted to just 3 runs per game. Which begs the question, was the pressure too much? And if it was, how will they react in what will surely be their most pressure packed game of their lives? (Ha ha)
The Astros, meanwhile, are a spotless 9-0. Perfect is perfect, yet the vibe around the league is that this team has been anything but dominant. They’ve scored in double figures just once (12-10 nailbiter over those same Twins). Their largest margin of victory was just 6, and 5 of their 9 wins were by 3 or fewer runs. Some would look at those numbers and say, “are they for real?” Freddy, however, looks at this as positive. This team has played in tight games all year, including several times they’ve had to rally from behind. Being in another close game, which this one is sure to be, won’t faze them.
But there is still that one nagging factor that outweighs everything. While several teams have entered week 10 with 9-0 records in recent years, no one in the 34-year history of the YCOBL has ever gone 10-0. Someone surely will someday, and it easily could be this weekend. But with Freddy Sr. looking down from his bleacher seat in the sky, we can’t help thinking the tradition continues.
Rockies 4, Astros 3
BLAZE RUTH SAYS: Giants, Padres, Pirates, A's, Royals, Rays, Guardians, and ROCKIES (5-2)
See yourself in action and prove to others that you actually play baseball!
Hello YCOBL players, umpires, and fans -
I have exciting news to share. You may have seen a young woman taking some photos at your games this year. Her name is Ashley Goebeler (Charlie Bubb's granddaughter, Rick's daughter), and she has finished taking pictures for every team in the league. There are team photos and action shots of every player who was present for the game she was snapping away. (If you were not able to make it that day, sadly you will not have any pictures this year. Attendance counts!)
Ashley created a link on her website, and she has uploaded all the pictures (link below). Each team has its own tab at the top for quickly finding your own personal action shots. And she even took a few pictures of some of our umpires.
All pictures are free, and there are no watermarks. Download whatever you want!
Time for a plug: Ashley does photography as a side gig. So, if you (or anyone you know) are looking for a photographer to capture high school or college senior photos, a graduation, engagement pictures, or a family photo session - please check out her website for more information.
YCOBL photo link: https://ashleyjustinephotos.pic-time.com/-ycobl4058/gallery#1
Ashley's website: https://ashleyjustinephotos.mypixieset.com/
Thanks!
The Commish
ABC27 News features YCOBL vast baseball history
