Seattle Mariners, Oakland A’s arrive in Japan to open 2012 MLB season

Washington Post ^ | March 23, 2012 | By Associated Press

[SMGFan]

NARITA, Japan — The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics arrived in Japan on Friday, five days before opening Major League Baseball’s 2012 season at Tokyo Dome.

About 300 fans greeted the teams after they landed at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, with Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki drawing most of the attention as the team made its way through the terminal.

[SMGFan]

ESPN will begin its 23rd Major League Baseball season with a full national telecast of Opening Night – the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals at the Miami Marlins – Wednesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. ET. The telecast will mark the start of the 2012 MLB regular season and the grand opening of Marlins Park, the new home of the Miami Marlins. The game will also include the debut of Miami’s high profile offseason acquisitions – new manager Ozzie Guillen and All-Star Jose Reyes. Opening Night will be available on ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and via the WatchESPN app.

ESPN and ESPN2 will combine for five games over the first three days of the season. ESPN2 will televise the AL Central Champion Detroit Tigers hosting the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, April 5, at 1 p.m., followed by the Marlins visiting the Cincinnati Reds at 4 p.m. On Friday, April 6, ESPN2 will televise the NL West Champion Arizona Diamondbacks hosting the San Francisco Giants at 7 p.m.; followed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – featuring the AL debut of Albert Pujols – hosting the Kansas City Royals at 10 p.m.

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2012/01/11/mlb-opening-night-on-espn-world-champion-cardinals-at-new-look-marlins/

[RetiredArmy]

With these two losers playing, the viewers will be nill.

[dfwgator]

Uhh, Ichiro plays for the Mariners. He is only the biggest sports star in Japan.

[RetiredArmy]

Gator, I used to live in Seattle area. I am well up on the Mariners. I was in the old Kingdome when the Mariners beat the Yankees. I was there in the 116 win season. He hit a robust .272 last year with lots of K’s. I saw him at his best for years. The team is STILL A LOSER whether he is a big star or not. They may watch OVER THERE, but no one is going to watch here.

[dfwgator]

Oh, I thought you meant the Japanese wouldn’t watch.

[RayChuang88]

ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd said it best: MLB professional baseball is turning into a regional sport. You essentially root for your home team and not much else.

This isn't like the NFL, where there are many good teams and viewership is very high regardless of the region of the country. Why do you think the two highest-viewed programs in American history are both Super Bowls? (And that stat is actually under-reported, since many viewers see the game in group parties at home or at public venues like sports bar restaurants.)

[angcat]

Ready to kick Mariner butt this year!

[struggle]

GO HANSHIN TIGERS!!

[RetiredArmy]

My best guess with that lineup, the M’s will lose 100-108 games. King Felix got rocked for like 10 earned runs the other day. Yup, spring training, but he still got rocked. He’ll be lucky to have a winning record with that offense. The days of Junior, Edgar, Bone, Dan Wilson, ARod, Harold Reynolds, Randy Johnson, Boonie, Jamie Moyer, etc., are long, long gone.

[oh8eleven]

MLB professional baseball is turning into a regional sport. You essentially root for your home team and not much else.
Turning into? That's not new.
For example, back in the day when baseball was only on radio, you didn't find many (if any) in St Louis rooting for the Cubs.

[Former War Criminal]

PRAY BARR!!

[stormer]

Wow. Thanks for the insight - now I won’t need to waste my time watching the Mariners. After your expert analysis, I don’t know why they’d even bother suiting up.

[clbiel]

The battle for 3rd and 4th will be EPIC!/s

[NotSoFreeStater]

Even America’s Pastime has been outsourced.

[RetiredArmy]

Go right on over to over cost Safeco all you want pal. If you are silly enough to think that roster is going to have a 75 win season, I have this bridge in Brooklyn I might be able to sell you cheaply.

[angcat]

I hate spring training. All the delicate yanks get hurt. I remember in the 70’s when I was a kid the yanks were tough and goose and Guidry pitched 9 innings, no pitch count. What happened to players they are so wussy.

[RetiredArmy]

I can only guess it is because they have so many millions tied up in those arms that they are so protective. Yes, I well remember Nolan Ryan, Don Drysdale, Mel Sotttlemyre, Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, guys like that THROWING 350 INNINGS A YEAR! And, throwing 150 or more pitches a game sometimes. They pitched for 15-20 years. I think it made them stronger. They are so babied now, the smallist twinge and oh, my arm hurts and DL here they come.