Dodgers, Padres to play in Beijing

According to Major League Baseball's official website, the LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres have committed to playing two exhibition games in Beijing's Olympic stadium next March. The games, scheduled tentatively for the weekend of March 15-16 at the Wukesong baseball stadium, are part of an MLB outreach to Asian baseball fans. The effort also includes season opening games between the Oakland A's and reigning champion Boston Red Sox at the Tokyo Dome, and a possible stop by the Dodgers in Taiwan after their games in Beijing. According to MLB president Bob DuPuy, the Beijing games are all but a sure thing, having the approval of the participating teams and the players union:

"It's getting the permits from the [Chinese] government," he said on Wednesday. "It's an administrative process and we want to be very sensitive to the needs and the protocols of the Chinese government. It's the first time we've ever done this and they're very busy with it being their Olympic year. They've been very supportive of it and we're hopeful of getting it done."

Mark those dates, folks: March 15 and 16, 2008.

Photo from The Oriental Adventures of Sparky Lyle by Mash Down Babylon.