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| TODAY: Friday, May 12 | |||||
| Big Mac upset? Big deal Special to ESPN.com | |||||
| Just think how annoyed Mark McGwire would be if he were actually
going on the trip to Japan.
Having helped scuttle plans to send the Cardinals to Tokyo as part
of this year's historic season opening series in Japan, McGwire remains
upset that baseball decided to have the Cubs and Mets play there anyway. Big Mac says
the long trip could affect the teams' performances and that the only reason
baseball is going international is to generate additional revenue.
On top of that, there are never nearly enough peanuts to go around
on those trans-Pacific flights.
Generally, I enjoy McGwire's opinions but the big man is about 100
feet foul on this subject. True, this will be the longest road trip in big
league history -- only a bus ride sandwiched between John Rocker and Albert
Belle could seem longer -- and yes, there might be some inconveniences along
the way. But the end result is worth it.
For most ballplayers, the concept of foreign travel extends no
further than lodging at a hotel without Spectravision. A player once told
me he didn't like Toronto because the cheeseburgers didn't taste as good as
they do in the United States. In other words, they do not travel with
backpacks, Eurail passes and Lonely Planet guidebooks.
Instead, dedicated and exhausted traveling secretaries cater to all
their transportation and lodging needs. Their flights are chartered. Their
luggage is carried everywhere. Their room keys await them upon arrival in
the lobbies of their five-star hotels. Their per diem is so high they can
actually afford to use the in-room mini-bar.
So naturally, some balk at the thought of a six-day trip to Asia. But
it's not like they're riding there in bullpen carts.
The players are flying first- and business-class. They have three
days to adjust to Japan time before the games. They have two-and-a-half days
to readjust when they return home. In addition to their already considerable
salaries, they are being paid extra for the trip, which is a big reason both
the Cubs and Mets players approved it.
Besides, minor leaguers go through worse all the time. There are bus
rides in the Southern League that can last nearly as long as a flight to
Japan -- and the only reward is a crowded Motel 6 in Huntsville. Teams
frequently pile into the bus after a night game, travel all night breathing
fumes from the bus and themselves, arrive somewhere the next day, grab a few hours of
sleep, then play a game that same night. And do they complain? Of course
they do. But nobody cares because they're minor leaguers.
And no one should worry too much about the players on this Japan
trip, either. Ballplayers deal with rough travel all the time. This is just
a little longer than usual.
So no more whining. This will be a fun, rewarding experience for all
involved. Playing overseas is good for baseball. Sales in Japan are a big
chunk of major league merchandise revenue. If players want to earn high
salaries, they better be willing to invest a little effort to prime the
pump.
And with talent at a premium and cities fighting for teams, baseball
needs to become more global to attract more bodies. Cincinnati can only
produce so many players, after all, before you have to start looking toward
other countries.
Playing in Japan, a country already passionate about the game, is
just a first step. Baseball needs to continue spreading its gospel around
the globe. Sadly, there are underprivileged kids all over the world who know
nothing of baseball's pleasures. It's up to us to spread our wings and show
them there is a better way than soccer.
Anyway, this trip could be worse. The Mets and Cubs could be opening
the season in Arlington.
Jim Caple is the national baseball writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which has a website at www.seattle-pi.com. | ALSO SEE Opening Day in Japan? McGwire doesn't like it Off Base: Spring reading  | ||||