[Deadly]

Not sure if this is where I put this/if it was already posted. I'm not even a baseball guy, but this is interesting.

The Boston Red Sox are threatening to boycott their season-opening games in Japan unless their coaches and other staff are paid for making the trip.

Mike Lowell has told The Boston Globe the team voted unanimously not to take the field for their final spring training game or to board the plane later Wednesday for Japan.

Full article: espn.com

Let the discussion commence (unless this was already posted).

[National Champion Chris Cole]

Without more info it would be tough for me to comment. Why are the coaches not being paid? If that is true then that is wrong but is threatening to cancel your trip to Japan the answer? Would Boston forfeit the first two games? Won't you have thousands of pissed off Japanese fans who are cheated out of watching Daisuke pitch Opening Day?

[The Jewish Cunthead]

I was telling Moose the Phillies should take their place. Howard would be like Godzilla over there.

[Jack Quinn]

seems like they should have had two Arizona ST teams go to Japan anyway, I mean send the Cubs and Mariners over, Ichiro vs. Fuku or something. The Sox have to fly all the way from Florida to Japan

[The Jewish Cunthead]

Or not go at all... think Oakland might like that gate instead?

[Jack Quinn]

no doubt they would, and they would be 2-0 I would think

[National Champion Chris Cole]

SI.com says the dispute is over and Boston is going to Japan.

[Sparty]

And that concludes this thread.

[Lucky]

For those who didn't pay attention:

- The teams agreed to go to Japan on the grounds that they get stipends and their friends and family can go.
- MLB pulled out the friends and families thing and pissed them off.
- The teams were informed this week that coaches and trainers wouldn't get paid.
- Red Sox couldn't get ahold of MLB for days so they went public. They said they wouldn't go but clearly didn't mean it because they also said that if push came to shove they'd go and pay the coaches/trainers themselves. They refused to play the ST game today and the Jays (their opponents) supported them.
- A's joined.
- MLB of course folded within hours because the little money they saved would in no way be worth the PR damage, and they covered it by just excusing it as a misunderstanding in negotiations (which seems like it might be true but only in so far as the Players didn't realize that MLB agreeing not to pay the coaches out of the player stipend meant the coaches wouldn't get paid at all).

Players wanted more money. MLB wanted to save some money. Coaches got screwed in the process. Players figured it out and threw a fit. MLB gave up. Everyone wants more money.