Enquirer wire services

Baseball is setting up plans for tougher security for major-league teams traveling out of the country amid the threat of war and terrorism.

Advance personnel, including a former Air Force officer now working as a consultant, have traveled to Japan, major-league security chief Kevin Hallinan said Wednesday.

The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics open the season in Tokyo on March 25-26.

"We want to make sure we have done adequate planning for teams leaving the United States if it turns out our country is at war," Hallinan said.

The commissioner's office also revisited security for teams that will travel this season to Puerto Rico, where the Montreal Expos are scheduled to play 22 home games in San Juan. The Reds play there April 18-20.