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Red Sox call off threat of boycott over coaches' pay

The Boston Red Sox ended a threatened boycott of their final preseason game in Florida on Wednesday, resolving a dispute over paying coaches for the season-opening trip to Japan.

The televised game against Toronto started an hour late when players voted unanimously not to play the exhibition or to board Wednesday's scheduled flight to Tokyo for the two-game series against the Oakland Athletics on March 25 and 26.

Boston players insisted their coaches receive US$40,000 appearances fees for the Japan trip, matching the deal negotiated for players by their union. After a few hours of talks among Red Sox and Athletics players, Major League Baseball (MLB), the clubs and the players' association, the sides said the dispute was resolved.

"We felt we had to make a stand, and being on ESPN didn't hurt," Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said.

MLB agreed to pay the managers, coaches and trainers on the trip US$20,000 each from management's proceeds, a person familiar with the agreement said, speaking on condition of anonymity because details weren't announced. The Red Sox agreed to make up the difference to make the amount equal, and to pay some of the other team personnel making the trip, the person said.
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