Column: Do you still believe in Shohei Ohtani? I'm not sure

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

It still doesn’t feel right.

It still doesn’t make sense.

No matter how much Shohei Ohtani and his advisors attempt to clean it up, something in all this gambling garbage still stinks.

When a smiling Ohtani strides on to the Dodger Stadium field for their home opener Thursday, I want to believe.

I want to believe the game’s greatest player is as pure as his image.

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But I just can’t. Not completely. Not yet. Maybe one day, but not now.

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Does Shohei Ohtani have a gambling problem, or a money management problem, or neither, or both?

Is Shohei Ohtani devious enough to throw his closest colleague under the bus to save himself, or was he simply naive enough to allow that colleague to fleece him for millions?

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2024-03-27/shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-gambling-scandal

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. I don't. Why and how would the dude be stealing $5.6mm? He didn't have that kind of cash to bet his losses.

Ohtani did and I bet this guy was a mule for Ohtani's betting transactions. And I bet that tOhtani and the interpreter have reached an agreement to take the fall.

On edit....really too bad that Ohtani caught the Pete Rose virus....he was just getting started.

[brush]

2. I think his interpretor/friend used his access to Shohei's accounts to...

to gamble, and like many gamblers, the fever, the desire and thrill for action got out of hand and he was in over his head and it came time to pay up.

The underground bookies demanded their money, or else.

Shohei certainly doesn't need to gamble, he's already got money. Somewhat naive and relying on his interpretor to guide him in a strange country/language. I think he'll come out of this chastened but wiser.

[MOMFUDSKI]

3. I think O is the gambler. MLB doesn't want to

lose their STAR so will make stuff up and cover for him. It is always about $$$.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. That Doesn't Make Sense To Me

The single biggest piece of evidence is the interpreter admitting in an interview that he owed money.
Covering for Ohtani seems better served by saying nothing.

[303squadron]

4. Well, I'd like to wait until the evidence is in

I don't know who is in the wrong here, but I'm certain we do not have all the facts right now.

I've already seen a lot of posts on-line depicting Ohtani as being in the wrong and I can't help but feel that it goes deeper than just Dodger hatred.....especially.....especially because we don't have all the facts.

With Rose we had his palm prints on his betting sheet along with his handwriting and betting instructions. Show me that smoking gun for Ohtani. Until then the jury should be out on this one.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Totally Agree

In addition, the interpreter agreed to an interview he didn't have to do & admitted he owed big money.
If this was to somehow cover for Ohtani, who can afford it, it makes no sense.
It would have made much more sense to decline the interview & say nothing about it.
That's why, as weird as the story is, and the information gap is huge, I don't buy that it's Ohtani.
The data we have doesn't lead me there.

[Drum]

7. Ohtani interpreter stole 16 million...update:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218854326
AND
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218854519

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

8. thx for update

[Drum]

9. You betcha

[retread]

10. Waiting for the "Sorry! I was wrongs!" Waiting, waiting, waiting,........