SPORTS NEWS
March 26, 2008
Batter Up!
Major League Baseball opens its season in Japan
Amid the glare of camera flashes and the din of 44,627 cheering fans, Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka took to the mound of the Tokyo Dome in Japan on Tuesday night. His team, the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox, was taking on the Oakland Athletics in the first game of the 2008 Major League Baseball season. It was the third time in nine years that the Tokyo Dome hosted the season opener.
 |  TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA—AFP/GETTY IMAGES Boston Red Sox hitter David Ortiz takes a pitch in the 10th inning of the season opener. |
Matsuzaka, known as Dice-K to Boston fans, was born in Tokyo. He spent eight years with Japan's Seibu Lions before signing a $52 million, six-year contract with the Red Sox last season. He also played on two Japanese Olympic baseball teams, in 2000 and 2004. Dice-K had a good season for the Red Sox, starting in 32 games and earning 15 wins.
Although the Sox beat Oakland 6-5 in the opener, Matsuzaka did not get the win. He left after five innings with Boston leading 3-2. Still, Japanese fans were treated to an exciting match. Oakland rallied and took the lead in the six inning, and Boston tied the game up in the ninth. A two-run Manny Ramirez double in the 10th inning gave the Sox and relief pitcher Hideki Okajima the victory. Local fans were not disappointed: Okajima was also born in Japan. "Ultimately, it was a great ballgame," Matsuzaka said.
What's on Deck for Baseball?Baseball is still reeling from a huge hit it took in December when a 409-page report claimed some of the game's top players had used illegal drugs, including steroids and human growth hormone, to gain an advantage on the playing field. Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens was at the top of the roster of those accused.
Last month, Clemens testified before Congress. He vehemently denied the claims of his personal trainer Brian McNamee that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. On the recommendation of Congress, the FBI has begun investigating whether Clemens lied to Congress.
On Tuesday, Clemens got some welcome support for his position. Representative Tom Davis released a report questioning some of the Congressional Committee's findings. "Did Roger Clemens lie to us?" said Davis. "Some of the evidence seems to say he did; other information suggests he told the truth. It's a far more complicated picture than some may want to believe."
Although the season began in Japan for the Red Sox and the Athletics, other teams will hold their openers on March 30 and 31. Players and fans alike can only hope that America's pastime will move beyond the complicated picture of lies and drug use to concentrate on simple, good playing and sportsmanship.
