The Reds still have not released an official spring training schedule, but enough other teams have that this partial schedule has been pieced together. It is not complete, and dates and times are tentative.
March 2 at Twins, 7:05 p.m.
March 5 Phillies
March 6 at Devil Rays, 1:05 p.m.
March 7 at Yankees, 7:15 p.m.
March 9 Indians, 1:05 p.m.
March 10 at Indians, 1:05 p.m.
March 13 at Yankees, 7:15 p.m.
March 14 Devil Rays, 7:05 p.m.
March 17 at Red Sox, 1:05 p.m.
March 21 at Twins, 1:05 p.m
March 22 Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
March 23, at Devil Rays, 7:05 p.m.
March 24 Phillies
March 26 Red Sox, 1:05 p.m.
March 27 at Phillies, 7:05 p.m
March 29 Twins 7:05 p.m
March 30 Devil Rays, 7:05 p.m.
The baseball world is still abuzz over the Mat$uzaka bidding. Craziness. The Mets bid $38 million for the posting fee, and thought they had it all sewn up. Little did they suspect that Boston would bid $51.1 million. (Just that number cracks me up. It's like those people on eBay who bid $51.01. Did Boston really think someone else was going to bid $51 million?) The Yankees came in fourth (perhaps having learned their lesson after Irabu).
That's over $50 million, just for the posting fee. D-Mat's salary will probably be another $50 million on top of that. The Reds' entire payroll for next season is only $60 million.
I'd say the Red Sox have now forfeited their right to complain about the Yankees' payroll. I guess they found out "moneyball" has its limits. Going with the young, cheap players (Coco Crisp instead of Johnny Damon, etc.) got them third place in the AL East, eleven games back of the free-spending Yanks and a game back of the Blue Jays.
And rest in peace, Bo Schembechler. My sister is a Michigan alumna, so I'll be rooting for the Wolverines tomorrow.
