So far, so good. New York Yankees player Hideki Matsui made it back to Japan, apparently in one piece, after a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple that included evasion of a large Japanese media contingent waiting for him at Newark Liberty Airport, an appearance at Yankee Stadium, the well-attended and media-smothered press conference at the Marriott Hotel, those spectacular publicity photos of him in Yankee pinstripes with Times Square as the backdrop and his guest spot on "The Late Show with David Letterman" to read that evening's Top Ten list. He seemed to be smiling through all of it.
Matsui should have just enough time to recover before heading to Florida and spring training in a couple of weeks. Following their exhibition season, the Yanks go north to begin the regular season in Toronto on March 31, and that opening game against the Blue Jays will begin at 9:05 a.m. (Japan time) on Tuesday, April 1. Do you think it will be televised in Japan? Is the sky blue?
Following a three-game series at SkyDome, the Bronx Bombers return to Florida for three more games as visitors to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Then "Godzilla" and company play their first home game of the year on April 7, hosting the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. Starting time is 2:05 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8, in Japan. Do you think that one will be on TV here live? Is grass green?