Sixty years after the Weyburn Beavers took the Southern League championship in 1945, Beavers coach Bob Narkaus hopes the team can celebrate this year with a memorable performance in the Western Major Baseball League in 2005.

"I don't see anything but the playoffs this year. Goal one: get to the playoffs; goal two, do some damage while we're there," he said. "And I'm going to be bold and I'm going to say it now: we're playoff bound."

The team opens its 2005 season this Friday in Regina, and returns to open at home at Tom Laing Park versus the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets on Saturday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. They play again against the Yellow Jackets at Tom Laing Park at 2 p.m.

The Beavers will contend this year in a growing WMBL that includes 12 teams playing in two divisions, seven teams from Saskatchewan in the East Division and five teams from Alberta in the West.

And despite competing against teams with deep, deep pockets such as Edmonton and Calgary, Narkaus remains unfazed, saying it is heart and teamwork that win ball games, not expensive team rosters.

"I see us competing very well with everyone this year. We went out and got some excellent players, and I don't see us doing anything but competing. I'm really optimistic," he said.

The Beavers will play 31 of 36 games against eastern division rivals in 2005, and only five games versus teams from Alberta. Narkaus said the league arranged the schedule this way to help teams save on travel costs, which he says is nice. But even though he still wishes for a few more games against the high-priced western division teams, the eastern division is who the Beavers compete against for playoff spots, so doing well against rival Saskatchewan teams such as Melville, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, and Swift Current is what's important.

In addition to Calgary and Edmonton, teams from Alberta include Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer. The Beavers will meet Calgary, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat during their Alberta road trip June 3-5.

"I'm just glad it's early, because we can get it out of the way. Another reason I like it early is because it gives the guys a chance to get on the road together and gel, especially being a new team," he said.

"But also to get it out of the way, so that we can focus on our division."

The Beavers will play Edmonton at home June 11 and Red Deer at home July 23.

While Narkaus and Beavers management tried hard over the off-season to build the team against the threat of injuries, left-handed Weyburn product Bevan Ledingham has already found himself on the 15-day injured list with a strained pectoral muscle on his throwing side.

The left-handed pitcher hurt himself while warming up last week, but Narkaus said not to worry as Ledingham will be back, and in the meantime, the Beavers picked up 23-year-old left-handed pitcher Rene Guitierez from Williston, N.D.