Japan Trip: Exciting For The Players, But Not Their Fans

by Nico on Sep 11, 2007 8:34 AM PDT in News Comment 67 comments

Perhaps you want to weigh in on the strong possibility the A’s and Red Sox will open the season playing each other in Japan. The players seem wholly excited about it, which is the one plus I can see—whatever boosts my team’s spirits, and is legal to boot, works for me as a fan. Swisher seems totally jazzed by the idea, and Ellis has mentioned how disappointed he was when the planned Japan excursion was cancelled in 2003 because of some war that had broken out. It would appear that the players see it as a privilege, not a chore, to “represent” in Japan. Then again…So many negatives…

The A’s are already at or near the top in the league every season in travel miles. Part of this is due to their being in the West Coast, and part seems to be an anti-A’s conspiracy that produces closed-door conversations like “NY-CLE-NY…Buuaaaaaha-ha-ha!!!” and “They’ll go to Boston only in two-game series… Buuaaaaaha-ha-ha!!!” Undoubtedly, Kotsay’s, Duchscherer’s, and Chavez’ backs have not appreciated the added stress of leading the league in frequent flyer miles. Do the A’s really need the extra miles, and jet lag, of going to Japan for their first road trip as a start to the grind of the regular season?

And then there’s the impact on us, the fans. After waiting five months for baseball for resume, after thinking, for six months, about the next A’s game—and finally we’re tied for first place again!—my idea of Opening Day is not to sleep through the game, and then wake up in the morning going, “So did we win?” It’s one thing to miss a game, or a series, at some random point in the year, but miss the entire first series of the season? What a letdown.

Your thoughts?

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Comments

As long as they are not considered home games...

for the A's. Let Boston give up their home dates; they can afford it.

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Sep 11, 2007 8:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

absolutely right

If both games are counted as home games, I scream "unfair!". If each game counts as a home game, then I can live with it.

by Brian in 317 on Sep 11, 2007 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

doh!! i meant

if each game counts as a home game for each team...

by Brian in 317 on Sep 11, 2007 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or at least, if it's two A's home games...

...the A's get all the cash.

"Former Huntsville Star Eric Chavez..."

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Sep 11, 2007 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chavez, Duke, and Kotsay....

probably would have to start the season on the DL. There is no way with the injuries they are coming off of that they would be able to make that trip.

This is assuming those guys are still on the team and are able to play.

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Sep 11, 2007 8:39 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Those guys wouldn't be ready. Plus I think any A's fan would make sure Kotsay didn't make the trip after what he "didn't" do this year.

by Hawk on Sep 11, 2007 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dunno...

..what our backs go through on a long haul lflight in coach, and what the A's will go through taking the journey in first class = two different things.

Assuming the league doesn't cheap out on them...

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If it's a two game series...

...then it should be one home game per team. I have a feeling though, that it'll be two "home" games for Oakland.

If that's the case then the A's should offer a package to season ticket holders. I'd go if my finances could handle it, Japan is on the short list of places to go.

by Dr Pez on Sep 11, 2007 8:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Move it to the top of your list.

Most flat out interesting trip I've ever taken. It's like stepping into Blade Runner, only with more color, a thousand vending machines on each corner, and animated cartoon characters everywhere.

And most people you'll meet speak better English than people in Texas.

Mind you, that last bit is true if you go to Uzbekistan too, so...

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm going next week ...

among other things, I'm going to a Fukudome game ...

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 11, 2007 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just watch how you pronounce it.

Cab drivers can get all sorts of kung fu on your ass if they think you're cursing them out.

Oh, and hit a pachinko parlor at least once. Preferably after way too much sake.

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is Japan near Fremont?

by MobiusKlein on Sep 11, 2007 8:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yes, but it's a long walk from BART

habitually tragicomic approach @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 11, 2007 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe authentic sushi

will better agree with Chavy's stomach.

Horrible idea. But maybe they'll have to sign Fukudome to generate some excitement.

by mikeA on Sep 11, 2007 8:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

can't they go in 2009?

I don't have enough miles for a free ticket to japan in 2008....

From my perspective, I think it would be totally awesome to be able to travel to Japan for the opener. What an experience.....

With that said though, leave Kotsay, Chavez, and Duchschererererer at home. They can watch on tv.

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Sep 11, 2007 8:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta pull an all-nighter

Can't miss opening morning/day/night.

Too bad Bill King won't be there to tell us about all the food spots in Tokyo.

by dn9480 on Sep 11, 2007 9:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This trip was rejected by

Hollywood as the premise for Major League 7, but picked up by the league.

by mikeA on Sep 11, 2007 9:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Worked for Bad News Bears Go to Japan

Craptastic movie

I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.

by franks a lot on Sep 11, 2007 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And Mr Baseball!

Tom Selleck can swing, baby!

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's for the greater good ...

Besides it gives us fans the possibility of having three openers ... the opener, the US Opener and the home opener ... instead of just one or two ...

Our team has among the shorter flights to Japan and while the flight might be a problem for the guys with bad backs, I'm sure the Japanese opener will be far enough in advance of our next game allow everyone to rest up afterwards. Also, it effectively lengthens our season -- meaning we have to fit two fewer games into the normal six months -- extra off days are a good thing.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 11, 2007 9:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I say, take Chavvy and Kotsay to Japan

... maybe the plane ride will finish 'em off.

habitually tragicomic approach @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 11, 2007 9:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Are there mothereffin' snakes on this plane?

I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.

by franks a lot on Sep 11, 2007 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Senator Craig, who invited you?

< tap tap tap>

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You know what's great about these "home" games?

I bet they'll be blacked out on MLB.tv.

At least I'll probably get them in Sac. I doubt KICU's going to head over to Japan, and if they do, KMAX will probably carry it.

So it goes.

by jeepers on Sep 11, 2007 9:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

ESPN?

by Jennifer on Sep 11, 2007 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good point.

I forgot about the Red Sox secondary network.

So it goes.

by jeepers on Sep 11, 2007 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Japan factor

Japanese players on A's = 0
Bosox = 2
Does the ump give a fiar strike zone if Dice-k is pitching?? This will be more of a home game for the bosox than the A's. Secondly how does the jet lag factor in?

by Arcman on Sep 11, 2007 10:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

it will probably be MLB umpires

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Sep 11, 2007 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to my East Coast world!

I sleep through nearly every game :(

by JerseyMarine on Sep 11, 2007 10:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Personally, I love it.

They should have EVERY team play an international game every season. Spread the game around the world, watch the dividends pay off for decades.

A game in Holland, another in Italy, maybe another in South Korea and/or China...

This is what Rugby has been doing for years, and in Vancouver now, I see more teenagers playing rugby than baseball.

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 10:17 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Because you know...

...that baseball's been having a hard time making inroads into Japan. ;)

by sarchasmic on Sep 11, 2007 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, the Japanese game is perilous right now.

Players were considering striking not long ago.

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want games on the Moon

Imagine what Cust's fly balls would be like in reduced gravity.

habitually tragicomic approach @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 11, 2007 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would like there to be one team that plays its

home games on a field made of ice, and another team that plays inside an active volcano.

by scromulus on Sep 11, 2007 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure the Twins would take the ice.

Can't be any worse than concrete.

The Chavez Shift: 6 infielders and 2 catchers.

by Ozzz on Sep 11, 2007 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And for the active volcano

Just play the Rangers games during the day in the summer.

by ozzman99 on Sep 11, 2007 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was wondering why Saltinemocha

was getting "Anakin-y"...

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Sep 11, 2007 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even Better

Watch Croz and Kotsay just float away.....

by ozzman99 on Sep 11, 2007 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

if we want to play somewhere

where interest in baseball needs a boost, I'd suggest Oakland

by skutch on Sep 11, 2007 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

QOTM

So it goes.

by jeepers on Sep 11, 2007 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I second the nomination!

by Lafayette Scotsman on Sep 11, 2007 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO - Gotta laugh or I'm gonna cry.

"Just because the horseradish is a cultivar of different color and geographic origin doesn't make it less of either." - monkeyball

by McFood on Sep 11, 2007 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kind of reminds me of that time

When the NBA's Sacramento Kings went to Japan to open a season against Kevin G and the Timberwolves.

Both teams had one "home" game each, and Japan loved seeing those guys play some Ball.

A's and Red Sox on an international stage?

Why not, it's just one series of the season that we might miss out on live.

But then again, we do miss a lot of live games anyway when they aren't televised locally...

All Games and Comments are Subject to Blackout

by Hit4TheCycle on Sep 11, 2007 11:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It would be great to get a few planeloads of fans

Especially left field bleacher folks --

we'd fit right in.

Thought shall be harder, heart the keener, mood shall be more, as our might lessens.

by Englishmajor on Sep 11, 2007 11:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

We ought to start the Chez Tokyo sign ups soon

I wonder how many people you need in order to get a discounted group fare....

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Sep 11, 2007 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yuck.

That's a horrible outlook. I agree with the players, and chalk your opinion up to nothing more than a little bit of fan selfishness. Which is okay, but I think the more exposure the A's get, the better.

by xcoma on Sep 11, 2007 1:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Request: Please take after your user name

and lapse back into one.

Thanks! (And have a nice day.)

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 11, 2007 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

werd

rgr that, sir.

by xcoma on Sep 11, 2007 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why did my diary get unrecommended?

Please respond.

by bringbackmiggy on Sep 11, 2007 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm curious

what does the fan altruism that you apparently practice consist of?

by mikeA on Sep 11, 2007 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Moving out of the area...

so that you don't really care where the games are played at, cause you ain't going to them anyway.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Sep 11, 2007 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

anybody see the CY YOUNG preview on mlb.com???

Dan Haren's name isn't even mentioned in the article, isnt he still the AL ERA leader?

by PSHABAZ on Sep 11, 2007 1:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He needs to start winning!

He has raised his ERA above 3 and he's narrowly ahead of Escobar. If he can have great outings finishing out, maybe. Too long of a bad stretch recently, though. And he doesn't pitch in NY or Boston. Sucks.

by A'sfansince1970 on Sep 11, 2007 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't matter

Small market, his team's not a contender, and doesn't have enough "wins"... the usual lame excuses.

by ozzman99 on Sep 11, 2007 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus, there's the "recency" effect

He hasn't exactly been stellar of late. I think he's outta gas.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 11, 2007 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's a stretch...

But maybe the A's build a fanbase in Japan, sell a ton of jerseys and hats, and make enough extra scratch to sign Santana and A-Rod. In that case I'd be OK with missing the game on TV/radio. I live in Sacramento so I miss almost every game anyways.

by sonomanate on Sep 11, 2007 2:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree that it should be

one "home game" for each team. Otherwise it's just blatantly unfair.

Other than that, I'm all for it.

"Ten times thy self were better than ten Hattebergs" -- Monkeyball, channeling Shakespeare

by iglew on Sep 11, 2007 2:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you, Nico

I don't see any benefit for either the A's or us fans in this. I don't see this exposure helping us so much as it helps the Red Sox. It seems to me that it will be a couple of Red Sox games, with some green and gold team there to serve as an opponent. It's like being San Jose State playing against Cal, except that the A's actually have a chance to win. Still, it's a long way to go to do something we can do right here. Well, not right here. My apartment might be a little small for a ballgame. But most of you know what I mean.

by ozzman99 on Sep 11, 2007 3:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kinda like the team that gets

to play the Globetrotters?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 11, 2007 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Washington Generals?

"Just because the horseradish is a cultivar of different color and geographic origin doesn't make it less of either." - monkeyball

by McFood on Sep 11, 2007 4:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I tell ya

they're due!

Maybe the dark is from your eyes.

by andeux on Sep 11, 2007 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Go San Jose State!!

Cal fears us, and chooses not to play us!!

(or so I wish)

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Sep 11, 2007 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What a road trip!

First International AN Day!

"All you need in life are friends, family and a good bullpen" - spotted on a tshirt in Columbia, SC.

by LongTimeFan on Sep 11, 2007 3:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I'll be wearing the special J-Athletics uniform for the overseas baseball pokemon battle!!

OAKLAND ATHLETICU, is AWESOMO POWA!!

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Sep 11, 2007 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

its a great idea, play preseason against japanese

teams also. then sign a premier player from japan.

the A's could use all the exposure and revenue that they can get. Since fans 100 miles away can barely see or listen to games on a regular basis and the A's media revenue is pathetic for a storyed franchise.

I dont see why it sucks for fans when we will get a whole lot of media exposure all week long. So it will be mostly about boston(who will have to travel halfway across the world) who cares. its a chance to shine in the spotlight that will never come in Oakland.

I would be all for doing it every year. make Japan part of our "territoryal rights" and never let the giants play there. How much scratch would the A's bring in then? playing the first series of every year in Japan.

"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do". - Asimov

by Anarch on Sep 11, 2007 10:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Great idea for giving A's the pub we need.

I can't help but think that the mlb wants to set us up for a fall for the game against Dice-K on his home turf.

I was scheming for a way to watch the Olympics in China, but the A's in Japan is just too tasty if I can afford an international trip.

Hulk is green and Hulk Smash, Godzilla is Green and he Smashes more.

G O D Z I R A A A A A A ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Sep 11, 2007 11:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like it.

All the talk will be about the Red Sox and their Japanese players, and then the A's will win and the people of Japan will decide they love the A's cause they're on the West Coast and Japanese players will want to sign there, and they will just love that cute little Hawaiian boy who will hit 3 home runs in the course of two games.

Well, maybe not. But the two settings in which the A's seem to perform best is when they are playing really good teams, i.e. Boston, possible defending Champs next year, and when there's no pressure, i.e. everyone's focused on Boston, the possible defending Champs team. So let's go.

C'mon when was the last time the A's started a season 2-0? It probably wasn't that long ago, I just can't remember it.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

by AintEasyBeinGreen on Sep 12, 2007 11:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs