Sorry I haven't updated sooner, but it's a busy last week full of media whoring, writing and keeping people in my life happy during a rare break from Fenway and the Sox. Nothing new on the Bobby Kielty front, other than the common knowledge that the former Oakland A's outfielder would likely have to play in some kind of minor league assignment to get his timing back before showing up with the big team in Boston -- and his rockin' red afro would be a big hit at the Fens.  Also, Kielty's agent Dan Lozano has House of Pain's "Jump-Around" playing when you're put on hold at his office in Beverly Hills...nice touch Danny.


Here's the lowdown on Kielty thus far this season from the good people at Inside Edge Scouting in an admittedly small sample size:


It looks like it's not just the Boston Red Sox when it comes to big leagues shying away from the big trip to Japan to open up the Major League baseball season. This from the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser, about the A's sweeping the leg when it comes to a trip to Japan next season:

The A's could find out next week if they will be chosen to open the 2008 season in Japan.

Oakland was scheduled to begin the 2003 season in Japan, but a series against the Mariners was canceled when the U.S. invaded Iraq that week. The A's are one of four teams being considered for a trip to Japan next spring, along with the Red Sox, Yankees and Mariners. Major League Baseball is likely to take one AL East team and one AL West team, then the clubs would follow the games at the Tokyo Dome with a series on the West Coast.

The Red Sox, with Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, were considered a front-runner, but the Boston Globe reported that the team appears unlikely to go because of concerns over fatigue and distraction.

Players must approve the trip, and that apparently won't be a problem with the A's. Asked if the Oakland players would OK it, player representative Huston Street responded enthusiastically, saying, "Oh, yeah, I think it will be really cool."

Starter Dan Haren, though, sounded less keen about the idea and poked fun at Street for deciding for everyone. Street's response? "I just shouted, 'Does everyone want to go?' And the yays outweighed the nays. It will be fun."

The first draft of the 2008 schedule will be released to clubs Aug. 15. That schedule is subject to revision, but it's likely there will be an indication of which clubs will go to Japan.