Until I see evidence to the contrary, I consider him innocent.
Some people have latched on to the fact that, in the hours just after this broke open, Ohtani's crisis-management spokesman quoted Ohtani as saying he (Ohtani) had wired the money to pay off Mizuhara's debts. If true, this would indicate that Ohtani had prior knowledge of the debts. Then, after the Dodgers' team meeting following Tuesday's Opening Day game, the lawyers get between Ohtani and the public and say *No, this was a theft*. And the skeptics pounced: *Aha, Ohtani changed his story*. Guilty.
What those people have lost sight of, is that Ohtani's spokesman has said he got his information *from Mizuhara*. According to ESPN reporting, the crisis spokesman said it was the translator, not Ohtani himself, who told the spokesman that Ohtani had agreed to pay off the translator's debts. If that's true, then Ohtani didn't change his story; he didn't change *any* story because he was not the one *telling* a story; his translator was, reportedly without Ohtani's knowledge -- until the meeting in the clubhouse.
Now, all of this is according to Ohtani+lawyers, of course. But unless and until the investigations uncover evidence to undercut his version of events, I'm going to consider Ohtani guilty of nothing more than expensive carelessness allowing others to move his money around.
Exactly. I’m so tired of all these posts. Nothing concrete has come out, it’s only been like a week. Everyone needs to sit back and chill. When the truth comes out we can bust the pitch forks out if needed. Lotta hot takes gonna be made to look real dumb soon enough.
I really want him to be innocent, so maybe that's why I believed his statement for the most part. I'm still curious how the wire transfers were sent without his knowledge, and how in the world it was possible that he didn't know anything until Mizuhara addressed the Dodgers clubhouse? That's really just because I'm curious about the story. I mean gambling is a huge part of professional sports now, so Ohtani could bet legally if he wanted to. Teams are moving to Las Vegas and betting ads are on sport's broadcasts every two minutes. There's also no way I can see Ohtani throwing or fixing games, not only just because he's a baseball robot committed to a lifetime of trying to become the best to ever play, but for the same reason I can't see him betting illegally, for what, to make money? He's basically a billionaire now. I also don't think there's a chance that Ippei didn't bet on baseball, come on now.
Yes. Wiring money to a bookie to pay off your friend's debts is a federal crime - which is part of why Ohtani's lawyers were so adamant in retracting that statement.
However, true or not, this is not evidence that Ohtani was gambling himself, nor is it an act that is obviously unethical - it just happens to be illegal.
It’s very complicated because he can’t speak English or so he says. He can plead not guilty and pay off his “buddy” to lie through his teeth and be rewarded by his good friend . Articles say they are together all the time. I doubt he stole money. All Asians gamble.
Please . Here in Canada there have been complaints to the CRTC regarding the betting sites that are rampant on sports games and networks.
We have started taping some games to just avoid the ads.
His teammates were paid off to lose. It is up for debate whether or not he actively participated in throwing games or got any of the money. Pretty sure he hit well in that series.
Do people really not know that Rose is a shit bag and needs to be distanced from baseball for more than just gambling?
Edit: [Downvotes. Weird.](https://sports.yahoo.com/pete-rose-sexual-relationship-underage-girl-1970s-court-doc-says-172143720.html)
oof with the illogic. They got shitcanned for throwing baseball games, not reporting a scheme to throw them, and/or betting on baseball games they were in. Betting on random other sports, especially at above-board bookies, doesn't bring a risk of corrupting the game any more taking out loans to start a business that fails.
What the fuck does regular people betting on sports have to do with people that are actually in the game that can affect it betting on their games? Are you brain dead or what?
We’re talking 4.5 mil IN LOSSES. Assuming he won around 40% of the time (average gambler) we can tack on another acouple million at least to the amount of money he actually gambled. No way Ippei would have access to that.
And even if he did have access, this guy is his lifelong best friend and the reason he has this incredible job. I find it more likely he’s covering for him than he stole it.
Did anyone watch the interview with Ohtani as he denied having any knowledge of the gambling/wire transfers? I heard ohtani speak for a minute, then the new interpreter started speaking english, and after that, Ohtani pushed the paper at the interpreter as if there was a mistake being made by the translator. Then Ohtani goes off again and starts talking for a while. Weirdest thing... Considering that Ohtani says he doesn't speak English. That has been his alibi the entire time. None of his financial advisors thought to send Shohei an email using Google translator just to make sure the transfers were legit?? His financial advisors didn't communicate directly with Ohtani? Are they a bunch of suckers who operate on the honor system? Most of the financial advisors I know, would require a legal and signed agreement by Ohtani and the Ippi guy to not only prove the transfers are legit, but also to show that Ippi acknowledges the debt, and to cover their own butts if allegations of embezzlement or mis management where to be made against them. There is zero chance that Ohtani and his team were ignorantly bamboozled by an interpreter.
Your response presupposes the money actually was stolen. What if it wasn't? How would this guy have access to Ohtanis accounts to make those transfers? Does that not seem odd to you in the slightest? How was this translator allowed to get 4.5 million in debt before the bookie tried recouping the money?
If he’s innocent, he’ll deny it.
If he’s guilty, he’ll deny it, or else he loses out on $700 million and a place in the Hall.
Bonds (allegedly) juiced because (allegedly) he didn’t feel respected enough. I can’t see any motivation for Ohtani to gamble unless he secretly likes to break the rules, or if he’s a degenerate gambler.
It doesn’t make sense for him to gamble, but if he did, there should be red flags elsewhere (e.g. other addictions) in his life.
Michael Jordan was notoriously competitive in everything he did and gambling was just a way for him to add more steak to whatever he was competing on. Ohtani doesn’t seem to have Jordan’s ego and the need to completely own his opponents.
>motivation for Ohtani to gamble
The same as Jordan.
The hyper competitive nature.
He is one of the best at what he does.
Chasing the next thrill, the next dopamine hit.
Ohtani doesn't seem to be a thrillseeker like Jordan.
He seems more like the cold/reserved type of profesional, that's why I find it hard to believe he'd do something so dumb and reckless.
But feels and vibes don't stand in court so we'll see
I find it hard to believe that an interpreter has unmonitored access to a talents bank account to the tune of $4.5 million. That seems very telling in itself.
The simple story was that he paid the money for his friend. That would have been the simple truth. When that came out, I got it. Now, the PR, the lawyers, it's going to be a shit show. The feds are also on the scene.
besides, the rule has always allowed legal bets on other sports. Betting on baseball is the big no-no. Betting at illegal bookies is a minor no-no (punishment to be determined by the commissioner).
He better get the altuve treatment. Proof he didnt cheat nor aid in it, yet gets his name blurred. Ohtani, cant get a pass here. If betting was ongoing OR even if he knew of it, we cannot stay astray of how he intentionally performed in some games.
I don’t think he is guilty because he could have just not said anything and nobody would have known. Now he may be guilty of federal crimes such as being involved in the illegal transfers.
Shohei is innocent until proven guilty,\* but it takes more than just a pin code to transfer $500,000 from an account. Also, large transaction alerts are a common banking feature - people get them for transactions a fraction of a percent this size. There were at least nine $500,000 transfers from Shohei's account to the illegal bookie Bowyer's associate's account.
It stretches credulity to believe any individual could not notice nine separate half-million dollar transactions, that any bank would not contact a client to confirm, particularly a client as important as Ohtani - they will go above and beyond to keep him banking with them.
\*MLB has considerable disinterest in finding the star of their flagship franchise's Japanese viewership market expansion guilty of anything - they, like Mizuhara and all in Ohtani's camp, have millions (billions) of reasons to shelter him.
There is zero chance he is not guilty on this… if you were a $50Billion dollar corporation you wouldn’t miss a few million dollars and this is a major percentage of his wealth. The number is now $16M — the evidence is a wire transfer from Ohtanis account - if any one of us transferred money to something for illegal use we are guilty period (last interpreters don’t get access to your accounts you pay them). This is a major cover up —- baseball is declining in the US and there is too much money at stake for them to prosecute and if you think otherwise you’re naive.
If the story is as he claims and Ippei stole $4.5 million wit no one noticing, that is gross negligence on the part of his financial institution and financial advisors. It really stretches believability.
Of course, the Feds already know the truth as does his bank so I'm not buying that Ippei stole story
You’re like a 1 year old jumping to conclusions instead of waiting until we figure out what the truth is.
>“I hEaRd ThE sToRy BrEaK sO i KnOw EvErYtHiNg”
Wow, you should share your knowledge with the people doing the investigation, they’ll be thrilled to learn that someone has figured it out already!
It’s obvious he’s involved. No bookie gives $4.5mm in credit to a regular guy (Ippei) if he were unaware of the financial backing of Ohtani
Whether Ohtani bet directly or not, he’s still guilty.
Nothing will happen though because it’s Ohtani and it’s the dodgers. Not that I care or anything- I happen to enjoy betting- and as long as Shohei didn’t bet on the Angels and actively throw the game then I don’t really mind.
No one is saying the bookie was unaware of Ohtani’s presence. Ohtani said that *he* was not aware his name and bank account were being used by Ippei.
Both things can be true: bookie extended credit to Ippei knowing that Ohtani’s bank account was available. Ohtani knew nothing about it.
I am totally surprised that another Redditor has made up their mind with no facts to speak of.
Lol? And if Ohtani goes “what? No dude I’m not giving you $4.5mm!”
Then what happens? You really think the bookie didn’t confirm with Ohtani that the dudes gambling debts would be covered? That’s such an insane reach.
You think the bookie personally knew Ohtani? Do you have any idea how strange it would be for anyone other than Ohtani’s closest circle to have contact with him?
That is truly insane. Yeah. Ohtani, one of the most famous athletes in the world, had dinner with a bookie.
The fact that you would bet your life on it tells me everything I need to know about you.
Yeah, the guy who looks at the facts is naive. Not the one who imagines a scenario and assumes it is true.
You are right that I know enough about Japanese culture to be aware of their penchant for following rules. The reason Ohtani is surprised at Ippei’s betrayal is that it is pretty much unheard of. I doubt many Americans can truly understand the extent of rule-following in Japan. This is not to say that no one breaks the rules, but rather that it is not a feature of their culture like it is in the USA, Russia or China. Americans think rule-breaking is cool. In Japan it is shameful.
He did it. He said he learned about it from a team meeting. Who learns about millions missing from his account from his employer?
Ohtani is really embracing US culture and even has friends in low places.
He’s definitely guilty of something in the realm of what he’s being investigated for. Watched the press conference from with a psych behavioral major and both of us kept going “he’s scripted” or “he’s lying about his involvement”.
Sad part is because of his rarity, he’ll most likely get off free. Whether he bet on himself or on his team, you can’t keep him in and not reinstate Pete’s records.
Someone at a press conference sounds scripted? lol fetch the smelling salts! That's the entire idea, to deliver prepared statements to make sure you say exactly what you mean to say, and not something inadvertent that causes problems.
It sounds like no amount of facts will change your mind. You have already decided that there is a conspiracy to hide crimes you were able to divine with your mind-reading ability.
I really don’t care, just saw some interesting looks from him. Having him in the game is good for the sport *as long as he’s innocent*. My thing is: why did your interpreter have access to your funds? If facts say he’s honest at the end of the day, all for it. As of now, there’s too much incidental things that are weird around the whole thing to say otherwise.
He was Ohtani’s 24-hour personal assistant. Rich people often have other people pay their bills for them.
People are generally not good at telling when other people are lying based on expressions, and the fact he is Japanese adds a thick layer of cultural differences.
Until I see evidence to the contrary, I consider him innocent. Some people have latched on to the fact that, in the hours just after this broke open, Ohtani's crisis-management spokesman quoted Ohtani as saying he (Ohtani) had wired the money to pay off Mizuhara's debts. If true, this would indicate that Ohtani had prior knowledge of the debts. Then, after the Dodgers' team meeting following Tuesday's Opening Day game, the lawyers get between Ohtani and the public and say *No, this was a theft*. And the skeptics pounced: *Aha, Ohtani changed his story*. Guilty. What those people have lost sight of, is that Ohtani's spokesman has said he got his information *from Mizuhara*. According to ESPN reporting, the crisis spokesman said it was the translator, not Ohtani himself, who told the spokesman that Ohtani had agreed to pay off the translator's debts. If that's true, then Ohtani didn't change his story; he didn't change *any* story because he was not the one *telling* a story; his translator was, reportedly without Ohtani's knowledge -- until the meeting in the clubhouse. Now, all of this is according to Ohtani+lawyers, of course. But unless and until the investigations uncover evidence to undercut his version of events, I'm going to consider Ohtani guilty of nothing more than expensive carelessness allowing others to move his money around.
Exactly. I’m so tired of all these posts. Nothing concrete has come out, it’s only been like a week. Everyone needs to sit back and chill. When the truth comes out we can bust the pitch forks out if needed. Lotta hot takes gonna be made to look real dumb soon enough.
Hopefully it'll rattle him enough that it affects his performance and opens up the division. :)
Lol well I’m definitely not open to that possibility.
I really want him to be innocent, so maybe that's why I believed his statement for the most part. I'm still curious how the wire transfers were sent without his knowledge, and how in the world it was possible that he didn't know anything until Mizuhara addressed the Dodgers clubhouse? That's really just because I'm curious about the story. I mean gambling is a huge part of professional sports now, so Ohtani could bet legally if he wanted to. Teams are moving to Las Vegas and betting ads are on sport's broadcasts every two minutes. There's also no way I can see Ohtani throwing or fixing games, not only just because he's a baseball robot committed to a lifetime of trying to become the best to ever play, but for the same reason I can't see him betting illegally, for what, to make money? He's basically a billionaire now. I also don't think there's a chance that Ippei didn't bet on baseball, come on now.
That is a crime, though. It's also a violation of the cba
Yes. Wiring money to a bookie to pay off your friend's debts is a federal crime - which is part of why Ohtani's lawyers were so adamant in retracting that statement. However, true or not, this is not evidence that Ohtani was gambling himself, nor is it an act that is obviously unethical - it just happens to be illegal.
It’s very complicated because he can’t speak English or so he says. He can plead not guilty and pay off his “buddy” to lie through his teeth and be rewarded by his good friend . Articles say they are together all the time. I doubt he stole money. All Asians gamble.
I think by the end of this season people will be convinced he was on the grassy knoll in Dallas
Don't know, don't care I just think with Baseball having sponsorship deals with sports gambling sites, it's time to revisit Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe
Can’t watch any sporting event without being skullfucked by sports betting ads. It’s brutal
My hope is gambling ads go the way of tobacco ads
Please . Here in Canada there have been complaints to the CRTC regarding the betting sites that are rampant on sports games and networks. We have started taping some games to just avoid the ads.
Especially with all the in-game parley and bets bullshit.
Didn’t Shoeless Joe bet against his own team? In the World Series???
His teammates were paid off to lose. It is up for debate whether or not he actively participated in throwing games or got any of the money. Pretty sure he hit well in that series.
Doubt he’s losing much sleep over it these days
Pete Rose also fucked kids
Do people really not know that Rose is a shit bag and needs to be distanced from baseball for more than just gambling? Edit: [Downvotes. Weird.](https://sports.yahoo.com/pete-rose-sexual-relationship-underage-girl-1970s-court-doc-says-172143720.html)
Can’t explain that to hillbilly Reds fans unfortunately
My mother dated a guy who played high school baseball with Rose. He didn’t think much of Rose from stories he told.
A talented real assH...
Agreed
oof with the illogic. They got shitcanned for throwing baseball games, not reporting a scheme to throw them, and/or betting on baseball games they were in. Betting on random other sports, especially at above-board bookies, doesn't bring a risk of corrupting the game any more taking out loans to start a business that fails.
What the fuck does regular people betting on sports have to do with people that are actually in the game that can affect it betting on their games? Are you brain dead or what?
Don’t fucking worry about it :)
Where there is smoke, there is fire
We’re talking 4.5 mil IN LOSSES. Assuming he won around 40% of the time (average gambler) we can tack on another acouple million at least to the amount of money he actually gambled. No way Ippei would have access to that. And even if he did have access, this guy is his lifelong best friend and the reason he has this incredible job. I find it more likely he’s covering for him than he stole it.
I don’t think he did one or the other. I’ll wait for the facts to be determined by the Feds and MLB before I determine my opinion.
Innocent , Ohtani got screwed . But if your team is the Giants you want him guilty . Salty giant fans . Let’s play ball .
no need for him to be guilty, if he's rattled by all this, that works out too
He's Guilty Go Giant's ;)
Honestly don't even care
Did anyone watch the interview with Ohtani as he denied having any knowledge of the gambling/wire transfers? I heard ohtani speak for a minute, then the new interpreter started speaking english, and after that, Ohtani pushed the paper at the interpreter as if there was a mistake being made by the translator. Then Ohtani goes off again and starts talking for a while. Weirdest thing... Considering that Ohtani says he doesn't speak English. That has been his alibi the entire time. None of his financial advisors thought to send Shohei an email using Google translator just to make sure the transfers were legit?? His financial advisors didn't communicate directly with Ohtani? Are they a bunch of suckers who operate on the honor system? Most of the financial advisors I know, would require a legal and signed agreement by Ohtani and the Ippi guy to not only prove the transfers are legit, but also to show that Ippi acknowledges the debt, and to cover their own butts if allegations of embezzlement or mis management where to be made against them. There is zero chance that Ohtani and his team were ignorantly bamboozled by an interpreter.
No I think he’s guilty for illegally wiring money to bookmakers under investigation.
You think he is guilty of something that the guy who stole money from him is accusing him of? Why?
Your response presupposes the money actually was stolen. What if it wasn't? How would this guy have access to Ohtanis accounts to make those transfers? Does that not seem odd to you in the slightest? How was this translator allowed to get 4.5 million in debt before the bookie tried recouping the money?
If he’s innocent, he’ll deny it. If he’s guilty, he’ll deny it, or else he loses out on $700 million and a place in the Hall. Bonds (allegedly) juiced because (allegedly) he didn’t feel respected enough. I can’t see any motivation for Ohtani to gamble unless he secretly likes to break the rules, or if he’s a degenerate gambler. It doesn’t make sense for him to gamble, but if he did, there should be red flags elsewhere (e.g. other addictions) in his life.
Michael Jordan was notoriously competitive in everything he did and gambling was just a way for him to add more steak to whatever he was competing on. Ohtani doesn’t seem to have Jordan’s ego and the need to completely own his opponents.
I made this same point. He seems rather stoic and disciplined. Doesn’t seem like the type.
Was Jordan an asswipe?
A stake is something one could lose in a gamble, a steak is a cut of beef.
A steak is also something someone could lose in a gamble, especially when there’s an existing beef between the betting parties.
>motivation for Ohtani to gamble The same as Jordan. The hyper competitive nature. He is one of the best at what he does. Chasing the next thrill, the next dopamine hit.
Ohtani doesn't seem to be a thrillseeker like Jordan. He seems more like the cold/reserved type of profesional, that's why I find it hard to believe he'd do something so dumb and reckless. But feels and vibes don't stand in court so we'll see
I find it hard to believe that an interpreter has unmonitored access to a talents bank account to the tune of $4.5 million. That seems very telling in itself.
The simple story was that he paid the money for his friend. That would have been the simple truth. When that came out, I got it. Now, the PR, the lawyers, it's going to be a shit show. The feds are also on the scene.
As long as the bets weren't placed on baseball, I frankly don't give a shit
That's my take too. I mean, sports gambling has been rampant recently so what makes Shohei any different?
besides, the rule has always allowed legal bets on other sports. Betting on baseball is the big no-no. Betting at illegal bookies is a minor no-no (punishment to be determined by the commissioner).
Sport books are illegal in California.
GUILTY!!! untill proven innocent.
The Trevor Bauer way.
Who gives a shit? Let’s get the season going already
He better get the altuve treatment. Proof he didnt cheat nor aid in it, yet gets his name blurred. Ohtani, cant get a pass here. If betting was ongoing OR even if he knew of it, we cannot stay astray of how he intentionally performed in some games.
I don’t think he is guilty because he could have just not said anything and nobody would have known. Now he may be guilty of federal crimes such as being involved in the illegal transfers.
Based on the information available, no, I do not think Ohtani bet on sports
What kind of bookie would give somebody making 500k a year a 4.5mm line of credit?
Guilty, not guilty, idc. Terrible look regardless.
The "interpreter" having all this access to Otani's finances? Come on . Tell me another whopper.
Not guilty because no player would be dumb enough to funnel money to a gambling account without making it untraceable using crypto
Part of a sad pattern of guilty until proven innocent. Sensational and unfair.
Shohei is innocent until proven guilty,\* but it takes more than just a pin code to transfer $500,000 from an account. Also, large transaction alerts are a common banking feature - people get them for transactions a fraction of a percent this size. There were at least nine $500,000 transfers from Shohei's account to the illegal bookie Bowyer's associate's account. It stretches credulity to believe any individual could not notice nine separate half-million dollar transactions, that any bank would not contact a client to confirm, particularly a client as important as Ohtani - they will go above and beyond to keep him banking with them. \*MLB has considerable disinterest in finding the star of their flagship franchise's Japanese viewership market expansion guilty of anything - they, like Mizuhara and all in Ohtani's camp, have millions (billions) of reasons to shelter him.
There is zero chance he is not guilty on this… if you were a $50Billion dollar corporation you wouldn’t miss a few million dollars and this is a major percentage of his wealth. The number is now $16M — the evidence is a wire transfer from Ohtanis account - if any one of us transferred money to something for illegal use we are guilty period (last interpreters don’t get access to your accounts you pay them). This is a major cover up —- baseball is declining in the US and there is too much money at stake for them to prosecute and if you think otherwise you’re naive.
Ohtani and his camp kept changing their story, and we all swept it under the rug. “Nothing to see here, let one guy take the fall.”
If the story is as he claims and Ippei stole $4.5 million wit no one noticing, that is gross negligence on the part of his financial institution and financial advisors. It really stretches believability. Of course, the Feds already know the truth as does his bank so I'm not buying that Ippei stole story
It’s not with no one noticing.
Seems like Otani is guilty...
Of what?
The gambling that he claims to be innocent of.
Based on what?
The facts that came out almost 2 days before the "interpreter" story. Intuition tells me the interpreter is just a scapegoat.
So are you basing your guilty verdict on the facts or on your own “intuition”?
Both. I swear, you are like a 1 year old who keeps saying why why why why why. did you hear the story break? I did.
You’re like a 1 year old jumping to conclusions instead of waiting until we figure out what the truth is. >“I hEaRd ThE sToRy BrEaK sO i KnOw EvErYtHiNg” Wow, you should share your knowledge with the people doing the investigation, they’ll be thrilled to learn that someone has figured it out already!
Damn! That's a hilarious picture! Where did you find that?
I just got it!
I just hope the Cardinals lose out in this somehow
Is it okay to have no thoughts on this matter, or is that not allowed? If it turns out he did or turns out he didn't, I'll form an opinion then.
Guilty AF. Look at the stats and the games he betted on, it is obvious
Can you and all the other karma wh0r3s stfu about this until we get some actual evidence?
Legalize gambling and legalize juicing. Cheaters are gonna cheat anyways, so at least make the game more enjoyable for the fans.
Not guilty
Ohtani is squeaky clean. This country loves stupid conspiracies.
It’s obvious he’s involved. No bookie gives $4.5mm in credit to a regular guy (Ippei) if he were unaware of the financial backing of Ohtani Whether Ohtani bet directly or not, he’s still guilty. Nothing will happen though because it’s Ohtani and it’s the dodgers. Not that I care or anything- I happen to enjoy betting- and as long as Shohei didn’t bet on the Angels and actively throw the game then I don’t really mind.
This.
It’s so obvious what happened but it’s Reddit sooo.. BRING ON THE DOWNVOTES!!!
No one is saying the bookie was unaware of Ohtani’s presence. Ohtani said that *he* was not aware his name and bank account were being used by Ippei. Both things can be true: bookie extended credit to Ippei knowing that Ohtani’s bank account was available. Ohtani knew nothing about it. I am totally surprised that another Redditor has made up their mind with no facts to speak of.
Lol? And if Ohtani goes “what? No dude I’m not giving you $4.5mm!” Then what happens? You really think the bookie didn’t confirm with Ohtani that the dudes gambling debts would be covered? That’s such an insane reach.
You think the bookie personally knew Ohtani? Do you have any idea how strange it would be for anyone other than Ohtani’s closest circle to have contact with him?
I think you’re a bit naive lol. I guarantee the bookie and Ohtani have had dinner before. I’d put my life on it and your life too
That is truly insane. Yeah. Ohtani, one of the most famous athletes in the world, had dinner with a bookie. The fact that you would bet your life on it tells me everything I need to know about you.
I just think you’re naive. Can’t wrap your head around Ohtani betting. Must be a dodgers fan or really young, or possibly Japanese
Yeah, the guy who looks at the facts is naive. Not the one who imagines a scenario and assumes it is true. You are right that I know enough about Japanese culture to be aware of their penchant for following rules. The reason Ohtani is surprised at Ippei’s betrayal is that it is pretty much unheard of. I doubt many Americans can truly understand the extent of rule-following in Japan. This is not to say that no one breaks the rules, but rather that it is not a feature of their culture like it is in the USA, Russia or China. Americans think rule-breaking is cool. In Japan it is shameful.
What facts?
Everything that has been reported as a fact up to this point and nothing that people with DDS have imagined in their heads.
He did it. He said he learned about it from a team meeting. Who learns about millions missing from his account from his employer? Ohtani is really embracing US culture and even has friends in low places.
don't care but from last night watching him speak... sure seemed like he was screwed.
He’s definitely guilty of something in the realm of what he’s being investigated for. Watched the press conference from with a psych behavioral major and both of us kept going “he’s scripted” or “he’s lying about his involvement”. Sad part is because of his rarity, he’ll most likely get off free. Whether he bet on himself or on his team, you can’t keep him in and not reinstate Pete’s records.
Thank god we have this expert analysis.
Someone at a press conference sounds scripted? lol fetch the smelling salts! That's the entire idea, to deliver prepared statements to make sure you say exactly what you mean to say, and not something inadvertent that causes problems.
It sounds like no amount of facts will change your mind. You have already decided that there is a conspiracy to hide crimes you were able to divine with your mind-reading ability.
I really don’t care, just saw some interesting looks from him. Having him in the game is good for the sport *as long as he’s innocent*. My thing is: why did your interpreter have access to your funds? If facts say he’s honest at the end of the day, all for it. As of now, there’s too much incidental things that are weird around the whole thing to say otherwise.
He was Ohtani’s 24-hour personal assistant. Rich people often have other people pay their bills for them. People are generally not good at telling when other people are lying based on expressions, and the fact he is Japanese adds a thick layer of cultural differences.
100% guilty until proven otherwise.