The Red Sox and A's opened the Major League Baseball season at 6AM this morning in Tokyo, Japan. While I am happy that baseball is back, I have a problem with the season opening in another country. Let me start by accentuating the positives: I am glad that baseball is expanding further into global markets. Goodwill tours to Japan in November, the Dodgers and Padres playing the first MLB games in China a few weeks ago, the World Baseball Classic have all been good to promote the greatest game. The key is that all of these games were exhibitions not during the regular season. Giving 2 teams a disadvantage with a ridiculous schedule (they play another game tomorrow, then play 3 more exhibition games in US, then start their US opener on Tuesday- all with one day off) is the kind of thing that can come back and bite you.
Having said all of this, my bigger problem is the bastardization of Opening Day for profit. As recently as 10-15 years ago, everyone started their season on the first Monday of April, with the Cincinnati Reds playing the first game of the year (Cincy is the longest continuously run major league team, dating back to 1869). Then night games started creeping in. Then ESPN picked a game to start on the Sunday night before the season. Now, this makes the second time the season has started outside of the US. Where will it stop? This used to be a day for hardcore fans to enjoy the first pitches of eternal hope, watching their team live or on TV, a national holiday, to be sure. As for me, while I will watch and/or listen to today, tomorrow, and Sunday's games, my holiday will continue to be the first Monday of baseball, with sunshine and dreams of pennants and batting titles as they were when we were younger.
2 comments:
You must remember that Baseball is this nation's "national pass-time" - therefore it must be influenced by capitolism like everything else "we" do...
Our real pass-time is doing nothing.
I agree with you baby. Although I was a little excited that they were having opening day in my brother's back yard (though sadly, he didn't take advantage of it), I don't think the games should have counted. Its great that we are expanding baseball to other countries. I think exhibition games in other countries are a great way to spread a love of baseball to other cultures but opening day should be in our country.
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