TOKYO - The Devil Rays got to the land of the rising sun in the middle of the night.
About 21 hours after they left Tropicana Field on Thursday afternoon, after spending more than 16 hours in the air flying more than 7,000 miles, wading through waves of photographers at the airport and busing through the city, the Rays arrived at the Hotel New Otani around 2:30 a.m. Saturday Tokyo time. They were greeted by a couple dozen fans, one waving a Rocco Baldelli jersey.
After a short night's rest, they will be ready to begin what will be a week-long adventure, culminating with season-opening games against the Yankees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"We're tired but excited," managing general partner Vince Naimoli said during a small welcoming reception at the hotel.
For an undertaking of this magnitude, moving an entire team plus spouses, front office, staff, media, sponsors and other guests halfway around the world, the trip was relatively uneventful.
Passengers on the Japan Air Lines 747 spent much of the five-hour first leg from St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport to San Francisco in lively conversation and heated cards and dominoes games. They got back on the plane 90 minutes later - after some rushed off for a last American meal of hamburgers at the airport food stands - and most went to sleep, with the plane relatively dark and quiet for most of the 11-hour trip across the Pacific Ocean.
"It was a lot less painful than I thought it would be," infielder Damian Rolls said.
The Rays will be busy Saturday, with an introductory media conference featuring Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, Aubrey Huff, Tino Martinez and manager Lou Piniella, at 1 p.m. Tokyo time, then a full-squad workout at the Tokyo Dome in front of an expected 40,000 kids, then a formal welcoming reception for both teams at 7 p.m., featuring the traditional sake barrel-breaking ceremony.
Vince Naimoli, Piniella and two players are expected to don ceremonial robes, called Hapi coats, and smash the barrel with baseball bats. "It's a traditional thing to do and it means good luck," said Jim Small, managing director of MLB's Japan office.
