Boston Red Sox refuse to take field and are refusing to board plane

[RB TexLa]

Red Sox refuse to take field over Japan trip payment dispute

By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—The Boston Red Sox refused to take the field for their final spring training game in Florida on Wednesday and threatened to boycott their flight to Japan for their season openers unless their coaches and other staff are paid for the trip.

Fans filled the stadium, the national anthems were sung and the Boston and Toronto lineups were announced, but the game did not begin at its 12:07 p.m. scheduled start.

Manager Terry Francona and his players were upset after learning staff members are not going to get a $40,000 stipend. The Boston Herald reported players insisted part of their agreement to make the trip included the fee—for them and the coaches.

“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 Wednesday. “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.”

Third baseman Mike Lowell told The Boston Globe the team voted unanimously earlier in the day not to play Wednesday or to board the plane to Japan later Wednesday.

Shortly before the game, Coco Crisp and Dustin Pedroia stretched for a few minutes on the outfield grass before returning to the clubhouse. Blue Jay players took batting practice as usual, but the Red Sox did not.

The Red Sox clubhouse was closed to reporters before the game because of the dispute.

The World Series champions are scheduled to begin their season against Oakland with two games in Tokyo.

Yahoo link wouldn't work. This is the whole story posted here.

Just use this link http://www.bostondirtdogs.com/

[jobycom]

1. Am I unAmerican for thinking that's cool?

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Only in the counterfeit America that is ruled by the Bush Junta

!!

[Renew Deal]

2. The Red Sox Suck

But they are doing the right thing here.

[eShirl]

10. on what do you base your assertion that they suck?

[FatDave]

23. If I had to guess...

I'd say Bleachers7 is a Yankees fan.

[Renew Deal]

25. You'd be guessing correctly

:evilgrin:

[NightWatcher]

3. the non-game is on espn right now

the players are in a meeting right now.

my money says they get the bonus for their coaches

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Wow, I think I just became a Red Sox fan.

Outstanding. That's taking a principled stand.

[lisa58]

5. Not a fan...

...but good for them.

[El Supremo]

7. Another foul-up by steroid enabler Bud Selig.

Why can't the fans fire him?

[jobycom]

17. It was a sad day for baseball when Paul Giamati's father died.

''There are other priorities that have to do with the role this game plays in the life of this country. The social issues, for instance, fairness in hiring, affirmative action. I call it social justice. We have to continue work in education and rehabilitation of substance abuse. That's absolutely essential. We also have to have an increased awareness that if, in fact, the environment in its totality for the fans is not agreeable and attractive, given all the range of leisure options people have, you won't hold your audience, your market. That whole issue of ambiance and environment is important.''

[drbtg1]

8. Odd that Curt Schilling votes to stand up for the coaches

He's pro-Bush and pro-McCain (some folks never learn), but here he's doing something very union-like.

[jobycom]

15. He has to vote for the coaches. One of them

has the tube of fake blood with his fingerprints on it. :rofl:

No, I don't really believe that, just thought it sounded cute.

[crikkett]

9. Good for them. I think fans will agree.

[RB TexLa]

12. When they showed the fans all of the signs I saw were supportive

of the coaches.

[rocktivity]

11. Why are the coaches and staff being expected to travel to and work in Japan for nothing?

What's the rationale--that it's "only" an exhibition game just being played for "publicity?" But if that's the case, the players shouldn't be paid, either. I'd have more respect for the Red Sox brass if they'd left the non-player staff behind.

:shrug:
rocknation

[underpants]

16. No I think this is more a per diem thing

:shrug:

Apparently the players demanded it and got it. The managers were left without.

WHY they need a per diem (on top of the one they already get?) I do not know.

[Johonny]

18. The players get a per diem on the road

It's been a part of their contract for a long time. I imagine it goes back to the days of train travel and lower salaries. I don't believe the manager or coaches have it in their contracts so I don't get what the big deal is. The story presented in the press seems unclear to me.

[underpants]

19. right that is what I meant

and the rporting should explain why the players got the more money. I mean it is fine with me I guess but is a per diem or is it for dollar valuation? :shrug:

[rocktivity]

24. It might be a form of "overtime pay" for the Japan trip

The players and manager might be getting a per diem over and above their salaries, but the coaches and staff get either "straight time" or nothing at all? If I were the manager, I'd be mad, too--think about how that would make you look!

ON EDIT: We were half right--the money in question is an appearance fee which the players were getting but not the coaches and staff:

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 appearance fee for the Japan trip. Players said they believed that fee was part of the original deal.

According to the major league source, in the past, the coaches' compensation has come from the players' portion of the pool. This time around the coaches were eliminated from that pool.

:headbang:
rocknation

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. Solidarity? What a concept. n/t

[NightWatcher]

14. they are taking the field

way to go team

[marmar]

20. It seems to be resolved now....

n/t

[RB TexLa]

21. No way MLB is giving up a trip to Japan, would be like the NBA giving up a trip to China

too much money to lose.

[SidDithers]

22. They should have played the spring training game...

and then not boarded the plane for Japan.

Spring training has nothing at all to do with their trip to Japan. There were fans who paid to see a game, and an opposing team with players trying to get ready for Opening Day.

Sid

Edit: nevermind, seems they're taking the field now.

[The Gunslinger]

26. Not a baseball fan but

Thumbs up to the Red Sox. It's good to see the rich overpaid players looking out for the others who contribute to the team.

[Harry Monroe]

27. $40,000 STIPEND?????

WTF, only a year's salary for some of us!! Get on the fucking plane, you guys won't be homeless anytime soon!!!

[XOKCowboy]

28. Jealous much?

Some people make more than others. Why hate them for it? They're not corrupt politicians or corporate polluters. They're the guys that make the team run. I'm happy to see the real money makers (the players) help out the little guys.

[Harry Monroe]

29. No, not jealous at all, just outraged!!

Why don't you look up the definition of a "stipend"? It is money supposed to help defray or cover expenses. $40,000 is an outrageous "stipend"; a great number of people make this much as a yearly salary. To me this is an outrageous stipend and another example of the economic disparity in this country between the haves and the have nots. I never said I "hated" them for this sum; merely that $40,000 is an outrageous "stipend" for someone in their position when this, as I already pointed out, is a whole year's salary for a lot of Americans.

I quit following Major League Baseball years ago, due to the outrageous salaries and the cavalier attitude towards performance enhancing steroids and such. The average American can hardly afford to take their family to a major league game anymore. I am an avid fan of the minor leagues; I can see the game from the best seats in the house for an average of $10 and not have to break the bank taking my family out for an evening of watching players who play the game for the love of it, rather than watching major league primma donnas and crybabies crying about multimillion dollar salaries that we (the average American fan who may be making a $40,000 stipend as a year's salary) are subsidizing with our hard earned dollars.