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Red Sox 6, A's 5: Postgame notes »
March 25, 2008
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
TOKYO -- Taking in the action of the Red Sox-A's season opener Tuesday was commissioner Bud Selig, who had also been on hand to watch the two previous season openers in the Land of the Rising Sun (Met-Cubs in 2000 and Yankees-Devil Rays 2004).
"Not only do I feel like I'm watching history,'' said Selig during the game, "but we're doing what we set out to do. Baseball has never been more popular (in America) and our goal is to take the game internationally.''
Selig was unsure when MLB when again have a season-opening series here, but revealed that the sport is looking for an opportunity to stage a season-opening series in Europe, too.
"We want to open in other places, too,'' he said. "But we'll be back here.''
Asked when he might be ready to announce some disciplinary measures against players and others named in the Mitchell Report last winter, Selig was non-commital.
"We're still reviewing on a case-by-case basis,'' he said.
He boasted that baseball's drug-testing program was "toughest testing program in any sport,'' but vowed to strengthen it further by working with the Players Association to implent some recommendations from the Mitchell Report.
"We're more than satisfied (with the progress being made),'' he said, but noted that MLB is helping to fund a study on human-growth hormone at UCLA.
Selig didn't wish to comment much on last week's potential boycott of a Grapefruit League game by Red Sox players who were angered to learn that coaches wouldn't be getting their promised stipend for the trip here.
"It got handled and it got handled well,'' he said. "There were some misunderstandings, but all's well that ends well.''
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