Wheels UP!

My Red Sox are on their way to Tokyo.
They'll open the season March 25th against Oakland in Tokyo.
Yep, Tokyo.
And who is the starter for the game? None other than Dice-K, Daisuke Matsuzaka.
The home crowd will love it.

The departure was not without drama. Right before their spring season finale with Toronto, the players found out that their coaches wouldn't be getting stipends for the trip. Everyone was expecting that the coaches and players going would be getting the stipends. In all for one, one for all team spirit, the players held a meeting and threatened a boycott of the last game, casting doubt as to whether they'd even go to Tokyo.

Fortunately, the communications 'misunderstanding' was straightened out, and the big happy family in on their charter heading west, as I type. It's a long 17 hours to Tokyo...the usual coat and tie dress code has been downgraded to casual. Big Papi's bringing his PJ's...