I confess.

I'm a degenerate collector.:eek:

Heartbreaking story Tony, thank you for sharing. Gambling is a particularly nasty addiction that not only ruins the life of the gambler but also has devastating effects of those around him as your story so poignantly points out.

I believe the consequences of major league sports embracing gambling will only produce more stories like that of your son in the years to come.

Phil,

Thanks! What’s more frustrating is that he’s to the point where I can’t help him anymore. He only lashes out and says very nasty and hateful things. I have to continue to watch him spiral his life out of control. He’s owes $20,000 in back child support and just continues to dig himself in a deeper hole. My worry and fear is that if he goes too deep down the hole, and he feels he has no way out, he will end his life. My worst nightmare! Before gambling, he was a great kid with a good heart.

Welcome to the group!


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I know from personal experience the torment Japanese go through trying to learn foreign languages; still, I think, Ohtani would have been better served if had started an intensive English course when he decided to jump baseball countries.
If he could handle simple press conference questions in English, without the need for a interpreter with whom he formed an intimate relationship, I wonder if this situation would have arisen.

Or just a degenerate. :eek:

Apparently Ohtani is going to speak to the media on Monday. Should be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Man, I hope to God it's his interpreter telling us what he's 'saying'!!!!!!!! :D

Ex-degenerate!!!

They'll have to bring in a pinch-interpreter for the guy they benched.


It's got all the makings of a great SNL skit.


Interpreter saying someting completely different than what Ohtani is saying.


John Belushi as Ohtani.

Given that few of on here understand Japanese I am not sure we will be able to determine if his statement is genuine/authentic, etc but I think it is probably a good sign that he is making the statement and suggests innocence on his part.

Even if he is guilty I assume MLB would find a way to look the other way given his importance in the game. At first I heard the IRS and FBI were conducting their own investigations. Does anyone know if this is accurate?

So the more I read the more, the odd progression of the story actually seems to make sense.

As weird as the story is, along with the weird change in the story very early on; It actually makes perfect sense. The first statement by Ohtani's reps WAS TRANSLATED BY THE INTERPRETER. When Ohtani found out that what was said was NOT the truth, the story changed TO THE TRUTH almost immediately and they realized that he'd been robbed. That's what made it seem like the story oddly changed almost immediately, because they caught the thief lying about the problem and realized that he stole the money and then issued a fabricated statement that made it seem like the money was actually given to him.

Also, people say, Ohtani had to give him permission to wire the money, but as a business owner who receives wires all the time, I can tell you that many banks allow wires to be sent completely online and all you need is the bank log in and account # information, which a man who was "like a brother" to Ohtani certainly could've finagled access to.

Finally Ohtani is vociferously anti-gambling. He refuses to go to casinos with teammates etc. There's almost no chance he is somehow gambling and blaming the interpreter.

Love that you're a multi game guy in Poker. Nice 4th place in the O8 tourney! Since I'm an East Coast old fart I'm a Seven Stud specialist who became a decent Hold 'em player. We likely walked right past each other at the WSOP somewhere along the line.

Online wires are typically limited as to how much you can send even for very high net worth clients. Even if in this case the wire was not limited from Ohtani's account, the wire would require log in info to a bank account, which most people would not hand off even to a best friend, third party verification (typically a multi digit numeric code that is texted to the account holder's cellphone). Lastly I cannot imagine any banking institution not also requiring verbal confirmation with the account holder that the wire was authorized and that would include asking for other personal info to verify the person they are speaking with is the account holder.

If Mizuhara had all of that info on Ohtani, then Ohtani's people had better examine his bank accounts for additional possible other transactions that Mizuhara helped himself to. They have known one another since 2013.

I love seven card stud. Such a great underappreciated game. When I play, I usually like to play mixed games. Stud, Omaha, HORSE mix, 8-game, stuff like that. I play a fair amount of holdem too, but that's just because that's what most people want to play. I rarely play tournaments though. I'm primarily a cash game player.

I'm sorry to hear about your son's struggle with his gambling addiction. I've witnessed similar behavior from numerous friends over the years as well. It's more common than most people realize, and as you're currently experiencing, it can tear apart families. If I can offer any advice, the most important thing to remember is that this truly is like a disease. It's actually a cognitive disorder. It's similar to an adrenaline junkie. It's not just about getting money, it's about the dopamine rush that they experience when they win. He physically can't help himself. There are free programs out there that can help though, if he's willing to put in the work. The best thing you can do as a father is to have an open and honest conversation with him. Read more about the disease and tell him you're trying to understanding what he's going through and that you want to be there to support him. But you also have to tell him that because of his addiction, you have to draw a hard line in the sand when it comes to money, and make it clear that he won't be getting any from you. But be sure he knows that you love him, that you understand what he's going through, and that you're there for support. Take him fishing, if that's your thing. Get him away from that environment, and encourage him to find help. People in his position often feel immense shame. They get down on themselves because they think they've failed everyone who placed their trust in them, and they lose hope. They lose friends over borrowing money. I have several friends from my former life as a professional gambler who owe me money. I know they'll never pay me back, and I'm at peace with it. I had dinner with one of my friends who owed me money after a couple of years of not seeing or talking with each other, and the shame was written all over his face the moment I saw him. He couldn't even look me in the eye. We were good friends too. I knew he couldn't afford to pay me back and that I'd never see that money, but I didn't care. He was hoping I would just avoid the topic, but I told him right out of the gate that I didn't care about the money and that I wanted him to keep it and that I just wanted to catch up on life. I told him I didn't want him to carry that burden anymore. His eyes welled up with tears. He's not someone who experiences forgiveness or empathy from others very often. Any amount of love, empathy, forgiveness, and patience that you can give to your son will go a long way. Make sure he knows that you understand what he's going through and that you refuse to let it ruin your relationship.

Travis, thank you very much for the advice. Much appreciated! Sorry everyone for injecting my personal life into this thread.

No need to apologize.

We all have fun with our kids driving us nuts sometimes. But this definitely gives us perspective to count our many blessings, because it could always be worse.

Report now is that Ohtani will read a prepared statement sometime this afternoon and take no questions so seems unlikely there will be many answers to the questions that are still out there about what happened.

Ohtani said he's not a gambler and the money sent to the bookie wasn't because of his betting, he said he doesn't gamble.

If he was tied to gambling but didn't bet on baseball and came clean about it, then things would just go away after a while. He has more to lose by lying than telling the truth (unless he bet on baseball). Things would come back 10x worse if he were caught in a lie.

I believe him.

Let the season begin!

100% agree, Ohtani strikes me as someone who has great integrity and would be the last person to bet on baseball. Alas, American media needs meat for the grinder and salacious story>truth is more important.

Go Giants!

It already did in South Korea. We already have two teams (Dodgers and Padres) that can no longer win all 162 games this year.


Brian

Not to be a cynic, but one of the reasons I believe Ohtani's version of events is that a guy who is making at least $50 million per year in endorsements and who has a $700 million contract in place (with probably expectations of something north of $500 million even a couple of years ago) isn't going to get into debt for $4.5 million with some dodgy bookie in California.

If he's a closet gambler, I'm sure he would have ways to get his fix from trusted sources in Japan, where he is more likely to have his privacy protected and respected.

well
 

maybe a pachinko in the house?

Of course, the poker game with the most strategic elements is strip.

Anyone see the video of Pete Rose saying he sure wish he'd have had an interpreter hahahaha!

Pete Rose is always happy to make light of his actions and even lie about them. He’s a piece of shit of a human being. Ohtani is not.

Wow. You are probably right, but I am impressed you can speak of Ohtani with such certainty, when his public exposure has been so shielded.


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I lived in Japan 7 years. I learned to speak Japanese good enough to moonlight first as a bartender and later as a cab driver, and finally as a teacher of English to newly hired Japanese employees. I found learning Japanese to be fairly easy (it can be a difficult language), and it made it easy and fun to be a gaijin (foreigner). Maybe Ohtani could learn some English, the way Ichiro Suzuki did, with all of millions of dollars.

"I am impressed you can speak of Ohtani with such certainty, when his public exposure has been so shielded"

I agree with this. How anybody can have a meaningful opinion about somebody they have never met, have never heard speak (excepting those who understand Japanese), and whose personal life is essentially unknown, seems odd.

I have no reason to doubt Ohtani's version of events, but I would point out that we have two versions of events: One that existed before the lawyers got involved and one that emerged after the lawyers got involved. The first one implicated Ohtani in a crime that baseball might not be able to ignore. The second one didn't.

It is also plausible that the cooperation of the interpreter in any scenario preferred by the lawyers could easily be purchased for a lot less than $700M. If this was an NBA player accused of an impropriety and a witness changed their story in a way that exonerated the player, would anybody doubt the witness had been "bought off"?

That's true, but only one we've heard directly from the horse's mouth.

I frankly think that the about-face on the story was so abrupt, awkward, and suspicion-inducing, that I cannot imagine that any proper law firm would have advocated for that strategy.

One thing is for sure. If Ohtani retires and plays for the Wizards for a year and a half before returning to baseball we know he was guilty.:eek::D

Ok this is the best reply in this entirely odd chain...you win hands down my friend. :D:D:D:D

+1

2024

Can anyone explain yet how this relates at all to Pete Rose? Ohtani is not even accused, in anybody’s version of events, of betting on any baseball games whatsoever.

Every time read $4.5 mil, my mind thinks what cards I’d have bought lol

Not the same, but Pete Rose, as identified in a previous post and as seen in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY3K6YOCuk4

kind of links Ohtani to his gambling behavior when he says "Back in the 70's and 80's, if I had an interpreter, I would be scot free."

Mind you, this is Pete Rose's logic.


Brian

Got it, thank you

Just an ex/retired player's opinion/thoughts on the matter. He's not buying Ohtani is innocent.

Ex-MLB all-star doubts Shohei Ohtani’s innocence in gambling scandal
https://torontosun.com/sports/baseba...mbling-scandal

Well if Pete Rose implied it, then it must be true. Case closed.

If I'm in charge of the music at an Ohtani road game, every time he comes to the plate I'm playing this....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hx4gdlfamo

Cute. But if I were the commissioner of baseball, I would ban stuff like this.

A few years ago while the Braves were playing the Blue Jays the Braves played "Beat It" while Reese McGuire was walking to the batters box.

Had to Google that. That was great. Hopefully someone has the balls to do it to Ohtani.

https://bluejaysnation.com/news/watc...laying-beat-it

I am so sick of pussyfooting around with elitist BS.

If Ohtani wants to maintain good PR, do the following:

LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH WHILE COLLECTING HALF A BILLION DOLLARS!

Fix the PR disaster with his first Dodger Stadium home run ball. 2 signed hats, a signed bat and a signed ball instead of the HR ball, and a threat from the Dodgers that they would refuse to authenticate the ball? Fuck the Dodgers! I hope Ohtani blows up in their fat faces.

From what I read, it does sound like Dodgers security did not treat the people who had the home run ball fairly. However, I saw that someone from Heritage said the ball would be worth $100,000. I don't follow memorabilia prices. Does that seem reasonable to anyone who does? It seems like a lot more than I would have expected.

I think it might sell for more right now just because Ohtani is in the news and him being on the Dodgers is a new thing. But the ball isn't a real milestone home run and I would highly doubt the valuation in an auction that didn't happen today.

I also think it's interesting that Ohtani has once again failed to tell the truth about even an innocuous circumstance like meeting a fan.

The entire situation surrounding Ohtani this year has been a mess. At this point, I don't think we'd ever find out the truth about the betting scandal/interpreter scandal. A part of me wants to clear Ohtani of wrong doing, but the cynical other part of me, believes that Ippei was the fall guy. And the end of the day the MLB would not want to lose their Golden Goose, even if he bet on games.

Whoever handles his PR should be launched into the sun, they've done a terrible job. As a side note, I believe Ohtani does speak English, but is more comfortable speaking through an interpreter. There's nothing wrong with that, and while I do respect his privacy, Celebrities now aren't afforded the privacy they once were. Especially ones of his caliber. He's for all intents and purposes, the face of the MLB.