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Red Sox in Japan: Sox brass say it's an 'honor' to open season in Japan »
March 21, 2008
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
TOKYO -- There's a budding controversy here over scheduling and the controversy has been ignited by -- surprise! -- Bobby Valentine.
Valentine, the outspoken manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines, is angry that the two regular-season games here Tuesday and Wednesday between the Sox and A's is threatening to distract from the opening of the Pacific League on Thursday.
"I hope the Red Sox and A's have a great time here and I'm sure everyone will enjoy it but it's ludicrous that our games will be going on at the same time," Valentine said. "The timing is a mistake and I guess that's something that slipped through the cracks when they were planning the schedules."
In a press conference on Friday afternoon, Daisuke Matsuzaka, who began his career in the Pacific League, seemed to agreee that Valentine had a point.
"It would have been better if the two games could have been scheduled on separate dates," he said
Posted by Art Martone 
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