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A look at the road ahead

Posted by David Lefort, Boston.com Staff March 20, 2008 09:58 AM

The Red Sox are set to land in Japan before noon today, officially kicking off their 18-day, 12-game, three-country marathon road trip, during which they will travel a total of about 15,913 miles (Fort Myers to Chicago to Tokyo to Los Angeles to Oakland to Toronto to Boston) before finally playing their first home game on April 8. To put it in perspective, that's the equivalent of about 75 one-way trips on the Fung Wah bus from Boston to New York City.

If you count the home opener as well, the Sox' next 13 games will be played in five different cities at 10 different starting times, ranging from 6:05 a.m. to 11:05 p.m. EDT. If you find yourself with your head spinning, imagine what the Red Sox must be feeling. To help you make sense of it all, below you'll find the Sox' schedule of games from now until they get their rings at the Fenway Park opener about three weeks from now. All times are Eastern.

March 21: Red Sox vs. Hanshin Tigers, 11:05 p.m. (Exhibition in Japan)
March 23: Red Sox vs. Yomiuri Giants, 6:05 a.m. (Exhibition in Japan)
March 25: Red Sox vs. Athletics, 6:05 a.m. (Regular season opener in Japan) -- on NESN (ESPN2 outside the local market)
March 26: Red Sox vs. Athletics, 6:05 a.m. (Regular season game in Japan) -- on NESN (ESPN2 outside the local market)
March 28: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:40 p.m. (Exhibition)
March 29: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. (Exhibition at LA Coliseum) -- on NESN
March 30: Red Sox at Dodgers, 4:10 p.m. (Exhibition)
April 1: Red Sox at Athletics, 10:05 p.m. (Regular season) -- on NESN
April 2: Red Sox at Athletics, 3:35 p.m. (Regular season) -- on NESN
April 4: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:15 p.m. (Regular season) -- on NESN
April 5: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (Regular season) -- on NESN
April 6: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (Regular season) -- on NESN
April 8: Red Sox vs. Tigers, 2:05 p.m. (Opening Day at Fenway) -- on NESN

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32 comments so far...

  1. I can't wait for this stupid trip to be over. I'm still peeved that after waiting all winter for baseball, I can't watch the first two regular season games because I have to get up and go to work!

    Posted by Schlippo March 20, 08 10:29 AM

  1. It's called a DVD or Tivo, buy one and get over it!!! It's better than watching it live, unless a friend calls with the score! You can watch a 5 hour baseball game in 1.5 hours! Plus if you need to get another BEvERage, or go tinkle, you don't miss the home run....
    GO SOX!!!

    Posted by Ed March 20, 08 10:50 AM

  1. Why are they playing exhibition games in LA after they play regular season games in Japan? Who is the idiot that came up with that concept? But, thank God, baseball is finally back! GO RED SOX!

    Posted by Paolo March 20, 08 10:54 AM

  1. They get paid a lot of money to do this. I think they will be okay.

    I took my mother and brother on vacation to Japan which coincides with this trip and they actually have to work for a living. No charter flights, no escorts, no tour guides, but I am sure we will remember this trip for the rest of our lives!!

    Posted by Richard Campbell March 20, 08 11:01 AM

  1. I can't wait for this trip to start. I am a Red Sox fan born in Massachusetts but living and working in Bangkok, Thailand for the last 12 years, and this will be the first time I have been able to catch a season opener -- and with Dice-K opening in Japan, it will be awesome. This is just the sort of thing that is needed to make baseball more of a world sport. Sorry that it's an early wake-up from everyone back home -- but now you know how we feel like when we have to wake up at 6 a.m. out here to watch the Super Bowl!

    Posted by Phil Robertson March 20, 08 11:09 AM

  1. I heard on ESPN that the game will be replayed on ESPN2 at 2:30 dont know if that helps

    Posted by Tom March 20, 08 11:21 AM

  1. Do you think ESPN will pick up either of the 3/25 or 3/26 games? I live in upstate NY and I don't' get NESN and the MLB extra Innings doesn't start until 3/31.


    From Boston.com: In addition to being on NESN, these two games will also air on ESPN2.

    Posted by Chowdah March 20, 08 11:34 AM

  1. I assume Gordo & Amelie will be covering as I havent read anything from them in ages.Are they trying out all the hot spots!

    Posted by Richard March 20, 08 11:35 AM

  1. re: Schlippo... Yeah, its too bad there aren't 160+ other games, plus all the spring training games to watch. Or there's no possible way to record the games to watch when you get home. Or watch the games that night, which NESN will undoubtedly re-broadcast, likely in their entirety. I'm peeved too.

    Posted by Timm March 20, 08 11:41 AM

  1. Talk about a thousand mile run around!

    I can't believe that they'll be playing 2 regular season games in Japan, and then have to play an entire 3 game series of exhibition games in LA before reconvening in Oakland for the start of the real season! That's completely absurd!

    Posted by Tom March 20, 08 11:45 AM

  1. ...the whole thing is stupid..

    Posted by Jim P March 20, 08 12:12 PM

  1. I believe the point of the exhibition games against the Dodgers was to let the players get their legs back under them on this continent without having the added pressure of games that count. 12 hours (or whatever it is) on a plane can't be much fun to recover from.

    As for the start time, I'm trying to decide between coming to work late, or DVR-ing the games. The problem at my workplace is that it is extremely difficult to avoid a Sox score all day long...

    Posted by Charles March 20, 08 12:50 PM

  1. How many trips is it on a Greyhound or Peter Pan?

    Posted by KJ March 20, 08 12:51 PM

  1. The three games in LA are actually a real bonus -- lets the Sox recover from their long trip. They can play easy in those games as they get over the jet lag -- let all the scrubs play -- but playing against another team helps them sharpen up much more than just scrimmages or practice.

    Posted by Jeremy March 20, 08 01:36 PM

  1. What's completely absurd is that the management of the companies we work for are paying US while we comment on this and other Globe stories. Of course, I'm on my lunch break. Go Sox.

    Posted by Gare Trahan March 20, 08 01:50 PM

  1. Wouldn't you think NESN would air the two games against Japanese teams?

    I know I would LOVE to see them.

    hrmph

    Posted by Amy March 20, 08 01:52 PM

  1. NESN reruns all the regular season games, Schlippo. Or call in, like the country is doing today for the NCAA. What I'm ticked about is not being able to see the exhibition games against the two Japanese teams. And don't give me time zone crap. The first game is at 11 PM Eastern, and a weekend game. That's about the same as the West Coast swings during the regular season. All the fans are getting out of it this is two regular season games broadcast at inconvenient times, and a half hour special about the trip on NESN. At least when the Celtics went to Europe, we got to see the games.

    Posted by Cindy March 20, 08 01:53 PM

  1. Why are the games in dodger stadium/ the la Coliseum listed as an "exhibition" games. That is a mistake? Inter-leauge play?

    March 28: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:40 p.m. (Exhibition)
    March 29: Red Sox at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. (Exhibition at LA Coliseum) -- on NESN
    March 30: Red Sox at Dodgers, 4:10 p.m. (Exhibition)

    From Boston.com: These games are not regular season games. The Sox' regular season schedule resumes on April 1 vs. Oakland.

    Posted by Andrew March 20, 08 02:08 PM

  1. Why aren't the exhibition games in Japan being televised? Or 2 out of the 3 Dodger games over next weekend?

    Posted by Bill March 20, 08 02:28 PM

  1. Bitch bitch and whine. Is that all you Bostonian do, suck it up. Imagine what you would do with and extra 8k per day on top of your salary. Just another reason to hate the Nation(whatever) Nation is smaller that a universe right. Stupid fans probably don't even realize that.

    Posted by chris March 20, 08 02:44 PM

  1. Yeah if you're like me and live in the UK you get used to watching games at just about any time of day, live or replayed on the internet. Thank your lucky Sox you get to watch the rest of the season at a regular time!

    Posted by Al March 20, 08 02:55 PM

  1. Looks like a chance for the Sox to Front Load their official pitching.

    #2 and #3 are scheduled for real games in Japan.

    Clay Buchholz is pitching an exhibition game but may or may not make the real roster.

    Kyle Snyder is available for use to back up in the two real games and may or may not be one of the starters.

    Josh Beckett could very easily start when they start the real season. I would anticipate that Dice K and Jon Lester will pitch either 2 and 3 or 1 and 2 depending on whether Josh is available.

    The manager can play around and likely will. Big problem is rust.

    Posted by Bob La Trémouille March 20, 08 02:58 PM

  1. I hope they lose 162 games and KEEP LOSING till Pink Hat Nation moves on, and I can walk up and just buy a bleacher seat on gameday - MOVE ON PLEASE! And give the real sox fans our team back..

    Posted by I-Hate-Pink-Hat-Nation March 20, 08 03:04 PM

  1. Chris your a lyrical wonder with that grammatical masterpieceof a post. Bravo!

    Posted by Kevin March 20, 08 03:30 PM

  1. Type your comment here...hoping the Drew,Lugo combo earn some of their huge paychecks during the season action this time around.....it will HELP alot!

    Posted by ginaldre king March 24, 08 09:44 AM

  1. A lot of complaining about the time of the Red Sox-A's opener. They can tape it,or wait for a NESN rerun. And, pity the A's fans who will have to rise at 3am.

    Posted by frank procopio March 24, 08 12:17 PM

  1. A lot of complaining about the time of the Red Sox-A's opener. They can tape it,or wait for a NESN rerun. And, pity the A's fans who will have to rise at 3am.

    Posted by frank procopio March 24, 08 12:18 PM

  1. I live in Upstate NY and work nights. I'll get home shortly before the game starts.Thank God baseball's back! Go Sox!!

    Posted by Sherri March 24, 08 11:56 PM

  1. I'll definitely watch it. It helps that I work nights, so I will be coming home just shortly before the game starts. The Sox could fly to the moon to play, and as long as they beamed the game to me, I'd be watching.
    But MLB.......GIVE US BACK OUR OPENING DAY!!

    Posted by Sherri March 25, 08 02:20 AM

  1. I'll definitely watch it. It helps that I work nights, so I will be coming home just shortly before the game starts. The Sox could fly to the moon to play, and as long as they beamed the game to me, I'd be watching.
    But MLB.......GIVE US BACK OUR OPENING DAY!!

    Posted by Sherri March 25, 08 02:21 AM

  1. I am up early and ready to watch the Sox with their historic opener in Tokyo. GO RED SOX.

    Posted by Bob Coggeshall - Youngstown, OH March 25, 08 03:43 AM

  1. I am up early and ready to watch the Sox with their historic opener in Tokyo. GO RED SOX.

    Posted by Bob Coggeshall - Youngstown, OH March 25, 08 03:44 AM
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