Editors Note: Any additions made after the blog is released will be in italics.
I wrote a blog about an hour ago about my 2024 season outlook for the Red Sox and The Skippers View. I put the last period on it as my phone began to light up with notifications about this Shohei Ohtani gambling news. At first, it was being reported as “massive theft.” However, the plot has thickened, so let’s get into it.
To start, I want to say everything here is ALLEGGED. There are no definitive reports saying that Ippei stole $4.5 million from Ohtani. Frankly, at this point, it seems there is a lot of f**kery going on. Just this morning, Ippei was in the dugout with Ohtani. Smiling, laughing, slapping each other’s butts. What all men do in the locker room. You are telling me a few hours later, that he is just fired on a whim for STEALING $4.5 million from Shohei. That makes zero sense, and I am offended that they think anyone would believe that.
Here is a quick synopsis of the ESPN article and the fallout
Ohtani’s name comes up in federal investigation.
Ohtani's team says Shohei transferred the money to the bookkeeper to pay Ippei's debt.
Ohtani team sends Ippei to ESPN. He states Ohtani NEVER gambled. Shohei felt bad for him, so he paid off the debt.
Ohtani's team says Ippei is lying, and there has been a “massive theft.”
Ohtani and Ippei partake in Seoul series game one this morning.
Ippei tells ESPN that Shohei had no knowledge of his gambling debts.
He “never bet on baseball.” (Have you ever heard that one before?)
Ippei addresses the team in the clubhouse. Says a story will come out that is all his fault. (Remember, he was in the dugout laughing and grabbing tush an hour beforehand)
Ippei was fired from the Dodgers.
Chaos ensues.
MLB says there is no investigation on Ohtani.
It is now being reported that Ohtani learned about the $4.5 million theft AT the clubhouse when Ippei told everyone….
This is, without a doubt, not the last we will talk about this story. I just wanted to give a quick bullet list for those who don’t have time to read the ESPN article or the millions of tweets.
There is a good chance I do not sleep tonight. Dodgers and Padres play at 6 am again, and I will be damned if I am not watching to see the first video of Ohtani since this news breaks.
Now, do I think that Ohtani’s new wife has anything to do with this player/interpreter breakup? No….. But it is a little ironic that these two broskis are getting separated a few weeks after Shohei gets hitched.
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Plenty of smoke; there’s a fire.