Boston Red Sox And Oakland A's Gamble For Coaches Pays Off

Certain luxuries are awarded to teams that are considered to be important in the world of major league baseball. Throw in the fact that one of these teams is the defending World Series champions, and watch the power unfold.

The Boston Red Sox had agreed with Major league Baseball to go to Japan and play their first two regular season games in front of foreign fans. There were promises that baseball made in order to secure that the Red Sox said yes to the proposal.

On the day that the team was set to fly overseas, players decided that not enough of the promises that were made were being kept. They were particularly upset when they found out their coaches were not receiving the $40,000 promised to all members traveling.

So they did what every team with as much power as they possess would do. they threatened to boycott. Not only their series in Japan with the Oakland A's, but also Wednesday's spring training game against Toronto.

Then, baseball did what it does best. It went to the negotiating table and solved a problem that was created by them in the first place.

Baseball is good at that. If ever a finger needs to be pointed towards why baseball is being surpassed in this country by football, this would be a prime example.

The NFL would not allow for this kind of controversy to upstage the chance to grow on a global front. They would have paid everyone going on the trip, probably more than they needed to pay them. They are all about public relations.

Baseball is about cutting corners, and doing as little as possible while relying on the old adage that baseball is the "National Pastime".

While football continues to grow and evolve, baseball stays stagnant. So it took players from two major league teams to call out the league. To let them know that this undermining would not be tolerated.

In the end, the baseball people caved, and the "National Pastime", will get its days of glory overseas.

March 20, 2008
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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