Japan '06

[Guest Edgy DC]

David Wright and Jose Reyes have been named to the Major League all-star tour of Japan. Also named are Ryan Howard, and Japanese natives Kenji Johjima and Tadahito Iguchi. They're holding off on naming the rest of team, largely, I'm sure, because they'll still be begging pitchers to go right up until the time they get on the plane.

"We will have one of the best teams in the history of this tour," said Jim Small, managing director of Major League Baseball Japan. "Japan won the World Baseball Classic and we have a lot of players who want to prove that our league is the best in the world."

I'm thinking, "Really, you can't announce the rest of the team, but they'll be comparable to a team with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig?"

I don't think they've announced a manager yet, either.

[Guest ABG]

Hey David--Stop playing baseball for ten minutes.

[MFS62]

The last time the Japanese saw anything as big as Ryan Howard, it was overturning a ferry in Tokyo Bay.

Later

[metirish]

I'll second what ABG said, I want Wilpon to pull a Seinbrenner and not let any Mets go.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think the Mets weigh the fear of Wright (and, more importantly, Reyes*) obtaining an injury he can't shed by February '07 against the benefit of him spreading the brand in an expanding marketplace.

Well-run organizations don't practice risk avoidance, but risk management.

*That's the spirit. Protect the white assets and expose the black ones.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Have they announced the schedule yet? What cities will they be playing in on what dates?

[MFS62]

It should be fun watching Reyes play a lot of games in a row on artificial turf.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

I'm not going to over-worry about players getting hurt over a half-dozen games in November anymore than I did over the half-dozen games that were played this past March -- a worry-fest that proved to be the most over-played story of the Spring.

[MFS62]

]I don't think they've announced a manager yet, either.

Let me make a prediction. I don't think Bill Singer will be accompanying the team on this trip.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Have they announced the schedule yet? What cities will they be playing in on what dates?

The first three games of the tour will be played at Tokyo Dome Nov. 3-6. The tour will include games at Kyocera Dome in Osaka (Nov. 7) and Yahoo Dome in Fukuoka (Nov. 8).

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Thanks.

I was hoping it would be later in November. We arrive in Tokyo on the 20th. The games will all be over by then.

Oh well.

[Frayed Knot]

On a semi-related note, we can all start worrying about our minor leaguers as well as the US has qualified for the (supposedly last of its kind) 2008 Olympic Baseball Tourney.
The team - with Henry Owens among others - is currently 7-1 in the regional qualifier and plays against Cuba today for the championship -- although the top two teams automatically advance meaning that the U.S. & Cuba are in no matter what happens with today's results.

[Vic Sage]

]The last time the Japanese saw anything as big as Ryan Howard, it was overturning a ferry in Tokyo Bay.

Bravo, Stone. Bravo.

[soupcan]

Wasn't baseball dropped as an Olympic sport?

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is the All Star tour, every two years.

Baseball gets one last hurrah in the next Olympics.

[Valadius]

Yup.

[Frayed Knot]

USA beats Cuba to win the Olmplic qualifying tournament

3rd save in the tourney for Henry Owens

[MFS62]

And a mention for Stubby Clapp - one of the great names anywhere.

Later