With his new baby apparently safe at home (the third base coach told the baby to slide), Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka was named the Opening Day starter for the Red Sox game at the Tokyo Dome on March 25 against the Athletics. Jon Lester will pitch the second game. Joe Blanton is scheduled to start the first game for Oakland, followed by Rich Harden.
I'm betting that the Japanese media will be a tad more interested in Mr. Matsuzaka than Mr. Blanton.
Both teams will be allowed to have a 28-player roster for the first two games, but three players will be ineligible. Each team will also play exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants.
The added players could be brought over for the exhibitions and then you can mix and match players if someone gets hurt. It's not like you are going to get somebody for AAA to fill in.
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That should be worth a conversation or two.
I assume Dice-K and Blanton will be unactivated for day two. Is it just deepening pitching staffs? What is the rational?
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