Devil Rays-Yankee opener a bit much?
 

On ESPN.com, Jayson Stark says the game in Japan is too much and Bob Klapisch says it's a good thing.
Sure I agree that the globalization of baseball is a great thing for many reasons, but I think I have to agree with Stark on this one; the trip is just too long. As he said, both teams are not on an island and don't deserve the crappiness of this huge long trip right at the start of the season.
Does the good of spreading baseball outweight the burden on the teams?
Please look at this objectively and don't start with the "Yankees suck! They deserve it! etc etc" stuff, that's not constructive.

But the Yankees do suck :p

I think it's pointless. Spreading baseball? Baseball has been played successfully in Japan for many years now, I think they know all about it. Hell, major league teams are taking Japan's best players now.

I'm also annoyed with the Expos playing in Puerto Rico all the time. Either move the team or don't. This half year playing in Puerto Rico and the other half in Montreal (yeah I realize that's not quite right what with road games....) is dumb. Pick a home field and stick with it.

i think these 2 teams were chosen for obvious reasons.

"Here is your hometown hero's team... and here is a sacrificial lamb"

I like how the yanks and rays flew all the way from tampa where they have spring training to play in japan.. Seems kind of worthless to me.

my thoughts exactly

the Devil Rays.... ugh

Here's the thing... if baseball is gonna do this, you might as well go all out. Why not schedule a Yanks/Mariners opening series in Japan? Ichiro vs. Matsui! The whole country would be going nuts...

I heard something about a baseball 'world cup' on ESPN radio today. 2006, maybe? It's going global, and exhibition games in Japan seem like a natural extension of the pending expansion.

It's not that the Japanese need baseball exposure...it's that they can't get enough of the Yanks or the Mariners....or whoever over there.

For some reason I doubt any similar interest in Japanese basebal exists in the US.

As for the 'spos...all of the fans come to the Big O disguised as empty seats :) In Puerto Rico...they SELL OUT every single game. It's really a no brainer.

BTW...I'm a Montreal Native, and would hate to see the Expos move. I'm glad they can attract a fan base elsewhere, and would understand if (when) that did eventually happen :(

-bear

As much as I loathe the Yankees, why would MLB risk sending some of their biggest and best players half way around the world, during a war no less, to play a couple of meaningless games? What do they possibly think they are going to gain from this? Americans don't care. Canadians don't care. The ONLY reason I can think of, as to why Selig sends two teams over every year, is to create good relations and politics with Japan to lure their star players off of the island and into a MLB uniform.

If this is the case, which it most likely is, send the Expos and Tampa next time. A few saki bombs and a couple dead hookers are not going to destroy either of those team's seasons; management already took care of that. Although, the thought of Jeter in a Japanese jail does give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

the sacrificial lamb routed the spankees 8-3

i remember as a kid, opening day was when i could skip school and not need a note... it was a rite of spring for me...

it doesn't seem the same when it's at 5 in the morning

HAHAHA oh man i laughed so much today when i read that the yankees lost on my phone while i was in class.. Can't belive my home baseball team could beat the yankees that bad.. When i read it i was thinking, oh well they probably only beat them by a run, not FIVE..

Hmm, I kind of like that idea. I think we should send JUST the Yankees on a "War Tour."

I was very surprised to see the outcome of this game... i always enjoy seeing the Yankees lose

Go Yanks. 12-1 Win! Go go godzirra!

Everything's back to normal ;)