FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox have threatened 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 play their final spring training game or to board the plane to Japan later Wednesday.
Manager Terry Francona and his players were upset after learning coaches and other staff are not going to get a $40,000 stipend that the players are receiving. Francona had told his coaches they would be paid.
The Red Sox clubhouse was closed to reporters because of the dispute and the team had not taken the field for batting practice before its last scheduled spring training game in Florida against Toronto.
Pitcher Curt Schilling told The Associated Press he was not sure if the game would be played, but refused to comment on the team meeting or the vote to boycott the trip.
The World Series champions are scheduled to begin their season against Oakland with two games in Japan.
The Boston Red Sox confirm the pay dispute over compensation for coaches on the Japan trip has been resolved and the team will board the plane to Japan later Wednesday.
Posted by: Inspector
Good to see the players stand up for the coaches and other staff!
Posted by: Mongo
I think it sucks that they are going anyway.
Posted by: kwflatbed
Red Sox Will Go To Japan, Pay Dispute Resolved
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) ― The Boston Red Sox ended a threatened boycott Wednesday of their final spring training game in Florida, resolving a dispute over paying coaches for the season-opening trip to Japan.
The game against Toronto started an hour late when the team voted unanimously not to play or go to Tokyo after learning coaches and staff would not get a $40,000 stipend for the Japan trip. Players said they believed that fee was part of the deal.
"Everyone connected with the trip will be fairly compensated," baseball spokesman Rich Levin said.
Red Sox spokesman John Blake would not say how the dispute was resolved.
"We're going to Japan," he said.
Earlier, catcher Jason Varitek said the team would not take the field or go to Japan until Major League Baseball agreed to pay the coaches and staff.
Manager Terry Francona and his players became upset after learning staff members were not going to get a $40,000 stipend.
"We're so united. And I don't mean just the players," he said in a dugout interview with ESPN during Wednesday's game. "I mean the staff, the trainers and our players showed that and that's what this was about. It wasn't about being greedy. It was about trying to be unified."
Daisuke Matsuzaka, who had been scheduled to pitch, left the stadium to pitch at a game against Minnesota's Triple A affiliate. David Aardsma started in his place. Matsuzaka is scheduled to be the opening day starter in Tokyo next week against Oakland.
Kevin Youkilis, the Red Sox player representative, said the agreement still needs to be put in writing and the compensation for coaches and staff "is not the greatest thing that we wanted for them, but it's good."
He stressed that the players felt strongly about not going to Japan without a resolution.
"The club's working on stuff and trying to get money where it needs to get," he said. "It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and it ended in a good way."
Varitek said players thought it was necessary to take a stand on behalf of the coaches and staff.
"They're the basis of what takes care of us," he said.
Oakland pitcher Alan Embree said he supported Boston's stance.
"I think we'll get together and talk about it. I was under the impression that everybody was taken care of," Embree said. "I don't care how they split it up, who's at fault, they just need to fix it."
He said a Boston player contacted him Wednesday morning. Oakland players planned to meet to discuss the situation before their exhibition game against a Chicago Cubs' split squad.
"For those guys to take that stance -- they're veterans. They feel strongly about it, and they brought it to the attention of higher-ups," Embree said. "We have to fix it one way or the other. ... Coaches deserved compensation. They're going over there, too, and every little bit counts."
Boston pitcher Curt Schilling said they learned Tuesday the deal was not what the players and coaches thought they'd agreed to with baseball. "I think everyone was kind of caught off guard," he said.
Red Sox batting coach Dave Magadan said he appreciated the players' support.
"It means as much as the money itself," he told ESPN.
For the Red Sox, it was a dramatic end to a quiet Florida spring training.
"I did not have an off day yesterday. I had the phone glued to my ear because I was promised some answers, and I haven't even received a phone call," Francona said. "So I'm a little bit stuck. What I want to do this morning is get excited to play a baseball game and what I ended up doing is apologizing to the coaches and being humiliated."
Boston Red Sox Arrive In Japan, Ready To Play Ball
TOKYO (WBZ) ― The Boston Red Sox arrived in Tokyo early Friday after an 18-hour flight and the resolution of a last-minute dispute that threatened their season-opening trip to Japan.
Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzaka and his teammates were a little weary from the long flight as they made their way to the bus headed for the hotel.
Matsuzaka drew the most attention from a large group of Japanese photographers that greeted the Red Sox at the airport. There were few fans on hand for the early morning landing.
"It was a long flight but we're happy to be here," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "The players are tired but are looking forward to playing some baseball."
The Red Sox and Athletics each play two exhibition games against Japanese teams on March 22 and 23. Then they face each other in Major League Baseball's regular-season opener on March 25, the earliest start in MLB history, and again on March 26.
For a while, it looked like the World Series champions might not make it. The players threatened to boycott their final preseason game in Florida on Wednesday and their travel plans for Tokyo unless a dispute over paying coaches for the trip to Japan was resolved.
A settlement was reached after talks among players from the Red Sox and Athletics, Major League Baseball, the clubs and the players' association.
"It was just a misunderstanding," Lucchino said. "Everything has been settled now."
Matsuzaka is scheduled to be the opening-day starter at Tokyo Dome next week against Oakland.
Boston has exhibition games on Saturday against the Hanshin Tigers and Sunday against the Yomiuri Giants.
Ace right-hander Josh Beckett did not make the trip because of a back injury.
Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004).
A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq.
The A's arrived from a few hours earlier at Narita Airport.
WBZ's Dan Roche arrived in Tokyo several hours before the Red Sox. You can read all about in his blog.
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