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Monday, March 24, 2008

Purdy: Opening day before daybreak? Bad idea

And I’m sick of night games, orange Elston Howard donuts, and unpronounceable-named players from unspellable Venezuellea!

Call me a cranky coot, but I can remember when Major League Baseball’s season opener happened at the conclusion of the exhibition schedule, rather than in the middle of it.

But that was so 20th century. Baseball does things a little differently now.

...My cranky attitude here has nothing to do with jingoism. I have the utmost respect for Japanese baseball and Japanese baseball fans. Most know the game better than many of the people who show up at American ballparks just for the hot dogs and beer.

But these Tokyo adventures, which also occurred in 2000 and 2004, were basically dreamed up to help market Major League Baseball in Asia. The idea has been to sell more merchandise and sponsorships there - and it must be a lot of merchandise and sponsorships if each player is receiving a $40,000 appearance fee/jet-lag bonus to participate.

Repoz Posted: March 24, 2008 at 05:58 AM | 35 comment(s)
Related News: General, Boston, Oakland, International, Japan

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1. Craig Calcaterra Posted: March 24, 2008 at 06:34 AM (#2718238)

Without looking, I'm going to guess that this exact article was written in 2000 and 2004.

2. Padraic Posted: March 24, 2008 at 08:05 AM (#2718250)

Before I RTFA, I thought this was a blog entry, but no, it's a real paid columnist. Unbelievable.

He also manages the first un-ironic use of the word "groovy" I've seen in quite some time.

3. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: March 24, 2008 at 08:11 AM (#2718251)

Before I RTFA, I thought this was a blog entry, but no, it's a real paid columnist. Unbelievable.

I grew up reading Mark Purdy. It's probably why I had to complete the 4th grade twice.

4. rfloh Posted: March 24, 2008 at 08:15 AM (#2718253)

But these Tokyo adventures, which also occurred in 2000 and 2004, were basically dreamed up to help market Major League Baseball in Asia. The idea has been to sell more merchandise and sponsorships there - and it must be a lot of merchandise and sponsorships if each player is receiving a $40,000 appearance fee/jet-lag bonus to participate.

Yes, true. So what? Players do not play for free, the owners do not pay the players out of generosity, and you do not write this article if you are not paid.

5. ocd ss Posted: March 24, 2008 at 08:24 AM (#2718259)

He's just mad because he's going to have to get up early to cover the game and he's not getting paid extra.

6. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: March 24, 2008 at 08:33 AM (#2718262)

He's just mad because he's going to have to get up early to cover the game and he's not getting paid extra.

Yeah right. This is what interns are for. "Hey Jimmy, just write me down some bullet points about the game and a couple of jokes about sushi and rice balls. I'll fill in the rest later."

7. jmurph Posted: March 24, 2008 at 09:50 AM (#2718297)

While I generally agree that opening day in Japan is a dumb idea, I'm kind of excited about waking up a little early tomorrow and watching live baseball over breakfast. Reminds me of my brief time living on the west coast- football on Saturday and Sunday at 9 or 10 am was kind of cool.

8. Mike Emeigh Posted: March 24, 2008 at 09:54 AM (#2718299)

There is the distinct possibility that the A's could have an 0-2 record before they take the field for their domestic home opener a week from Tuesday. Hey, A's, you're in last place by two games before the season has begun for 28 teams! Play ball!

The A's would only be in last place by one game, officially - "two in the loss column".

-- MWE

9. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: March 24, 2008 at 09:55 AM (#2718300)

While I generally agree that opening day in Japan is a dumb idea, I'm kind of excited about waking up a little early tomorrow and watching live baseball over breakfast.

Me, too. It's going to be fun. People will complain about anything.

10. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: March 24, 2008 at 09:57 AM (#2718304)

The A's would only be in last place by one game, officially - "two in the loss column".

-- MWE

And, well, there's always the chance they could win and start the season in 1st place. Or has MLB actually decreed the A's aren't supposed to try? Because I could actually believe that at this point.

11. Answer Guy Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:00 AM (#2718310)

I dunno, the Red Sox, despite the string of winning seasons they've put together lately, have made quite a habit of starting the season 0-1.

12. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:06 AM (#2718316)

Because of the time issue, if they're going to play regular season games in Japan, they almost have to be the opening series. If the former is a good idea--and it's certainly not a bad idea, from an economic standpoint, a PR standpoint, or (the one I prefer) a "let's do something interesting" standpoint--then the latter has to be accepted.

13. Nasty Nate Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:14 AM (#2718326)

can someone explain the rationale of having these Japan games in the middle of the exhibition season, rather than after? why do the Sox play a few exhibition games in LA after this? Why not push the trip back 2-3 days (which can be used as part of regular spring training in florida) and then go from Japan to Oakland for the rest of the regular season?

14. jmurph Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:24 AM (#2718335)

can someone explain the rationale of having these Japan games in the middle of the exhibition season, rather than after? why do the Sox play a few exhibition games in LA after this? Why not push the trip back 2-3 days (which can be used as part of regular spring training in florida) and then go from Japan to Oakland for the rest of the regular season?

I think they're probably building in some recovery time for the mental/physical toll that the Japan trip is going to take on both teams.

15. Ivan Grushenko of HK in St Louis Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:32 AM (#2718345)

Why should just the A's and Red Sox bear the brunt of globalism (which I support)? I think all teams should open their seasons in some other country during spring training. China, Italy, India, Israel, Korea, Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, Taiwan, Russia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Cuba...OK Taiwan and Puerto Rico aren't really countries, but they still count.

16. ocd ss Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM (#2718365)

I bet Dubai would kick in a ton of cash to get a season opener in the U.A.E.

For the record I'm really looking forward to rolling out of bed, getting some coffee and watching real baseball. I wouldn't want to do it all that often, but 2 games will be fun.

17. Alex Gordon's #1 Fan Posted: March 24, 2008 at 10:57 AM (#2718376)

He's just mad because he's going to have to get up early to cover the game and he's not getting paid extra.

That's exactly it. Me, I'm excited about it. Should be interesting.

18. CFiJ Posted: March 24, 2008 at 12:38 PM (#2718491)

Speaking as an MLB fan in Japan, f#$k marketing to Asia. I'm just one of many thousands of MLB fans just happy to see some MLB baseball here.

19. Lassus Posted: March 24, 2008 at 12:50 PM (#2718505)

I think they're probably building in some recovery time for the mental/physical toll that the Japan trip is going to take on both teams.

This was discussed in another thread, but I'm just not seeing where this "toll" is coming from. I'm not a professional athlete, but I have traveled long long long distances (14-hour flights). I didn't really feel any toll - mental or physical - that required 3 or 4 days to recover from.

20. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: March 24, 2008 at 12:53 PM (#2718511)

This was discussed in another thread, but I'm just not seeing where this "toll" is coming from. I'm not a professional athlete, but I have traveled long long long distances (14-hour flights). I didn't really feel any toll - mental or physical - that required 3 or 4 days to recover from.

You're lucky. When I travel home to the West Coast, the time change kicks my arse. I think it's asking too much for these guys to pick up where they left off after a 2 day break. I think the way they do it now is reasonable.

21. Joey B. Posted: March 24, 2008 at 12:55 PM (#2718513)

It's being officially reported in the news that Sean Casey is probably going to miss both games because he developed a stiff neck during the long flight.

22. Lassus Posted: March 24, 2008 at 12:57 PM (#2718515)

You're lucky. When I travel home to the West Coast, the time change kicks my arse.

I can see this. I think if you sleep incredibly poorly (which I have my entire life) you end up immune to jet lag. I think I end up with the raw deal over an extended length of time, but when traveling it works great.

23. Padraic Posted: March 24, 2008 at 01:35 PM (#2718561)

but I'm just not seeing where this "toll" is coming from.

You are lucky. I think the "toll" of jet lag is a pretty well established fact for most people. I don't fly much, but one flight from the East Coast to Europe and I'm delusional for two days.

24. Bob Dernier Ressort Posted: March 24, 2008 at 01:51 PM (#2718580)

one flight from the East Coast to Europe and I'm delusional for two days

No kidding. I feel the effects even going from Texas to California. Fortunately if you become delusional in California nobody notices.

25. Greg Pope Posted: March 24, 2008 at 02:11 PM (#2718601)

I can see this. I think if you sleep incredibly poorly (which I have my entire life) you end up immune to jet lag. I think I end up with the raw deal over an extended length of time, but when traveling it works great.

I have mild Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a pain in the winter, but I think that it helps with jet lag. I've travelled between the coasts many times with no negative affects. The three times I've been to Europe and the two times I've been to Japan I didn't have any troubles, either. Basically I wake up when the sun gets bright and I'm ready to go.

26. TWO!-OH!-OH!-OH! CLAP!-CLAP!-CLAP!CLAP!CLAP! Posted: March 24, 2008 at 02:17 PM (#2718612)

On my trips from Texas to and from Europe, I don't really notice anything for the first three days and then BAM on the 4th day I end up having to go to bed around 6pm, sleep for 12 hours, and I'm fine from then on out.

27. Edmundo(Erstwhile Master of Diagramming Sentences) Posted: March 24, 2008 at 02:22 PM (#2718618)

A couple of years ago, one of our folks went to Japan for a week and did the Lost In Translation bit, i.e., didn't sleep. He was a very seasoned traveller, going to Europe 6-8 times a year.
I got po'ed when he started IMing me at lunch time until I realized that he was sitting at his computer at 2:30 AM Friday Morning, that he had been there since Sunday and hadn't slept more than minutes at a time.

28. formerly_dp Posted: March 24, 2008 at 02:44 PM (#2718639)

I made my first trip to Japan in November (from NYC) and was a mess both ways. In Tokyo I was in bed by 10 PM (very rare for me) and when I got back stateside about a week later I'd get tired around 5 PM then be wide awake at 2 in the morning. It took 2 weeks to get right again. A 12 hour time shift is pretty jarring to your sleep schedule.

29. Srul Itza Posted: March 24, 2008 at 02:51 PM (#2718656)

I'm kind of excited about waking up a little early tomorrow and watching live baseball over breakfast. Reminds me of my brief time living on the west coast- football on Saturday and Sunday at 9 or 10 am was kind of cool.

If I am reading this right, I get to watch midnight baseball. 6:05 EDT = 12:05 HST

Football at 7 in the morning is also quite cool. I get to watch the early game, and then the day is just starting.

30. Zach Posted: March 24, 2008 at 06:41 PM (#2718897)

When I was looking around at grad schools, I met a professor who was the director of the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector in Japan, and taught at UC Irvine. He taught Tuesday and Thursday, then hopped on a plane to Japan.

I'm sure he didn't pull that trick every week, but still...

31. Mike Hampton's #1 Fan Posted: March 24, 2008 at 07:13 PM (#2718921)

I'm kind of excited about waking up a little early tomorrow and watching live baseball over breakfast.

As a West Coast resident, I'm a little less excited. The timing almost, sorta, kinda makes sense for the Red Sox, or would if Red Sox fandom hadn't become a nationwide thing. It's completely inexplicable for the A's, though. 3 in the morning?

32. AuntBea Posted: March 24, 2008 at 07:18 PM (#2718932)

It's perfect for me. I was up until 8am last night/this morning (west coast time) anyway.

33. Justin T Posted: March 24, 2008 at 07:41 PM (#2718955)

This is what Tivo/DVRs were made for if you're a west coaster. I'm gonna get up about when the game is ending, head to the gym, come home and watch some friggin' baseball. The guide on my tv indicates the games are in HD, which I wasn't sure of since the games are, you know, in Japan. And my guide has guided me wrong before, so I'm still not going to be convinced until I see it.

34. Ludwig the Indestructible Posted: March 24, 2008 at 07:50 PM (#2718965)

So has anyone woken up the Primer Chimp from hibernation?

35. Nasty Nate Posted: March 24, 2008 at 07:57 PM (#2718969)

When I was looking around at grad schools, I met a professor who was the director of the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector in Japan, and taught at UC Irvine. He taught Tuesday and Thursday, then hopped on a plane to Japan.

What happens when he detects the presence of some super-kamiokande neutrinos?

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Purdy: Opening day before daybreak? Bad idea

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