1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Hello, everybody, Welcome to the show. It's Dodger Blue Dream. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: I'm Richard Parks. Thank you for tuning in. It is 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,319 Speaker 1: the off season. It's that short period of the year 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: where no baseball is being played in the Major League 5 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: since at least you could always get into winter ball. 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: And I am certainly excited about the World Baseball Classic, 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: which is happening in the spring of twenty twenty six. 8 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: But as of this moment, Dodgers wise, things are relatively 9 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: quiet after the pyrotechnics of the twenty twenty five World 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: Series and the Dodgers' second consecutive title. So what happens 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: in the baseball off season that you, my dear listener, 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: would be even remotely interested in. Awards have been announced. 13 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: Sho Hey Otani won his fourth MVP award unanimously. We 14 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: got to see the reaction video featuring his dog Decoy, 15 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: and then his wife Mamiko, and his agent and as 16 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: Bilelo and a couple other people are there. But when 17 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: Shohey is announced as the winner of the award, it's 18 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: kind of cute because he leans over and hugs and 19 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: kisses his dog Decoy, not his wife, as a fellow 20 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: dog dad, I get it fun stuff. I might be 21 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: doing a whole decoy slash Dodger dog episode soon, but 22 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: that's for another day. What else there is the hot stove, 23 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: off season, trade rumors, free agency, et cetera. The Dodgers 24 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: are supremely stacked. The roster is pretty much set, a 25 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: lot of long term deals. We kind of know what 26 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: we're going to do to try to run it back 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: and win a three peat in twenty twenty six. But 28 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: there are some needs and the Dodgers are certainly in 29 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: on a lot of the highest pile players available Kyle Tucker, 30 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: for example. And then there was this recent baseball gambling 31 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 1: story involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, a Manual Class and 32 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: Luis Ortiz have been charged with fraud, conspiracy, and bribery. 33 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: They are alleged to have been in on this scheme 34 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: to rig individual pitches that people can bet on. You 35 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: can bet on any individual pitch that is thrown in 36 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball, And in the case of Class and Ortes, 37 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: there was supposed to be this fix where the gamblers 38 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: they were in cahoots with one hundreds of thousands of 39 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: dollars because they knew ahead of time that Class and 40 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,679 Speaker 1: orties were going to throw certain pitches or throw them 41 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: certain ways, like they would intentionally throw a ball in 42 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: the dirt so that it would be called a ball. 43 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: And there is currently both a federal and a Major 44 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: League Baseball investigation going on. There isn't really a Dodgers 45 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: connection here at all, but there is this one thing, 46 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: and I'm just looking at an ESPN story that says 47 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: that the fix was on one day in a game 48 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 1: that the Guardians played against the Dodgers, and so one 49 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: better placed sixteen parlays in which Class A would be 50 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: throwing a ball. So if the charges are true, Class 51 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: A has told these illegal gamblers that he's going to 52 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: throw a ball, and so of the eight pitches involved 53 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: in these bets, seven were successful. The eighth pitch was 54 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: a pitch in the dirt that would have been called 55 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: a ball except for the fact that our Dodgers center 56 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: fielder Andy Pajes swung and missed that pitch in the dirt. So, 57 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: in addition to making one of the most memorable catches 58 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: in Dodgers' history in Game seven of this twenty twenty 59 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: five World Series, Andy Pajes also foiled this illegal betting 60 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: scheme at least this one instance. So illegal betting is 61 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: once again intersecting with Major League Baseball in a way 62 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: that connects very directly to what was the biggest story 63 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: in a broad kind of transcending baseball sense of the 64 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four baseball season, the Shohei Otani Ibe Mizuhara 65 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: gambling scandal, which of course we covered on this show. 66 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: So today we are going to revisit one of our 67 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: very first episodes from way back in spring of twenty 68 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: twenty four, when amid the beginning of sho Hee Otani's 69 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: very first year as a Dodger, the baseball world was 70 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: rocked by this crazy gambling scandal involving show Haes then 71 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: translator Ebe Mizuhara. And if you listen to this show, 72 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: you know all about this. eBay is now in prison 73 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: because he stole many millions of dollars from Shohey to 74 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: pay off a debt that he had with an illegal 75 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: gambling operation in California, which came under scrutiny as part 76 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: of a federal investigation. This story broke literally the day 77 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: that I was about to hit publish on the very 78 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: first episode of Dodger Blue Dream, a podcast I was 79 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: starting as a labor of love, just a fun, lighthearted, 80 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: joyful tribute to the game of baseball, which I love 81 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: so dearly. But then bam, there was this very non joyful, 82 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: non baseball story, And so immediately upon launching this show, 83 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: I shifted into investigative journalism mode, not really doing the 84 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: investigation myself so much as reading a lot of it, 85 00:05:55,279 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: but also reading these federal documents and exhaustively researching and 86 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: fact checking this crazy gambling story, the story of Ipe Mizuhara, 87 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: took over my life for a couple months, which resulted 88 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: in two fairly long and very dense episodes on this scandal, 89 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: which I would argue are the most comprehensive, responsibly framed, 90 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: exhaustively researched, and certainly dramatically retold version of these events 91 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: available even to this day. So over the next two 92 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: weeks here on the Feed, we're going to revisit these 93 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: two episodes that were released back in the spring of 94 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, The Talented Mister Epay and The Complaint 95 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: Against Epay. If you haven't heard these, think about saving 96 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: them for your next session on the treadmill or your 97 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: neighborhood walk, or you're doing the dishes, raking the leaves, 98 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: you know, whenever you do your podcast cast time, I 99 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: recommend these to you. They're good and if you remember 100 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: them and you listen to them when they came out, 101 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: maybe listen to them again. They're good. I am proud 102 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: of them. It took a lot to get it all 103 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: right and reminded me a lot of my newspaper days. 104 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: When I was making them, I was thinking a lot 105 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: about this Philip Seymour Hoffman movie that I saw once 106 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: like twenty years ago, called Owning Mahoney, about a gambling addict. 107 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: It's just a heartrending topic, and I tried to take 108 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: the perspective of the people involved and imagine what this 109 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: must have been like for them while relaying the facts 110 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: of the story in as accurate and concise a way 111 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: as I could. So that's the deal. It's a rebroadcast. 112 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Dodger Blue Dream Today's episode 113 00:07:52,040 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: The Talented Mister eBay coming up after the break. When 114 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: I started this project, I knew that the Dodgers were 115 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: going to be something we'd all want to talk about, 116 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: but I never could have guessed we'd be talking about this. 117 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: You're following that baseball player shoe Hey Otani seven hundred 118 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 2: million dollar contract with LA Dodgers. And now there's some 119 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 2: weird stuff going on with gambling, four and a half 120 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 2: million dollar betting scandal. 121 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: Addiction lies, millions of dollars in illicit gambler's debt, and 122 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 1: two brothers torn asunder. Today we bring you the story 123 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: that has defined the start of the twenty twenty four 124 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Dodgers baseball season. 125 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 2: Will they throw this guy out of baseball? If it's 126 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 2: proven that he bet on baseball. 127 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 1: They better throw him baseball. That's all I'm gonna say. 128 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: If you bet off baseball, better throw it out. That 129 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: is truly wild, and as a fan, it's kind of heartbreaking. 130 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream. I'm Richard Parks. I'm a writer, podcaster, 131 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: and diehard Dodger fan, born and raised in Los Angeles. 132 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: The Los Angeles Dodgers are the story of the twenty 133 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: twenty four baseball season. This is a documentary about a 134 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: year we will never forget. Today's episode, the talented mister 135 00:09:51,040 --> 00:10:04,359 Speaker 1: Ebe imagine for a moment, you're the most famous baseball 136 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: player on the planet. You are incredibly rich and incredibly important. 137 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: You are valued in every measurable sense by every powerful 138 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: person you could possibly think of as a messiah like 139 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: figure here to save baseball. You just signed a contract 140 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: for seven hundred million dollars to play a child's game 141 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: in a foreign country. Your life is baseball, and you 142 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: treat your body as a sacred machine. You sleep ten 143 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: hours a day plus naps on a nine thousand dollars 144 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: custom mattress made by a company you do ads for 145 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: in Japan. You speak openly of your love of sleep, 146 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: but little else. You recently married in secret to a 147 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: woman even your fellow teammates hadn't met. It's not in 148 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: your interest to be anything but private, but you do. 149 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: You have to talk to the media, and there are 150 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,839 Speaker 1: scores of reporters whose lives revolve specifically around you and 151 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: your movements. Grown men twice your age who brought their 152 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: families here clear across the world to write stories about 153 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: how special you are. You've been famous for a long time. 154 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: You were famous when you were a teenager, when you 155 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: were playing for the ham Fighters in Hokkaido. That's when 156 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: you met this guy. Ipe you were eighteen, he was 157 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: twenty six. He grew up in the US, the birthplace 158 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: of baseball, the place you hope to move to one 159 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: day to play in the major leagues. And since then, 160 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: Epe has been by your side every step. 161 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 3: Show Hayes interpreter mostly Show Hayes best buddy, close friend, 162 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 3: Epe Mizuhara, Ipe Mizuhara. 163 00:11:54,440 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: Trust. Can you imagine the trust required? Baby Zuhara was 164 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: not just show heo Tani's interpreter. They went through this 165 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: life together for more than a decade. Show Hey, the 166 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: boys star and Ipe, the older brother and the protector. 167 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: My first question, first big interview with ESPN, how do 168 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: we spell your last name? Ipe? Is there? Show Hey 169 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:25,119 Speaker 1: is so young. 170 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 4: He doesn't know the real answer, but whatever he has 171 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 4: to fill out papers, he puts the agent there. I 172 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 4: mean I watched him for the five years with the 173 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 4: fighters Saigne You, He and the talent. 174 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 1: They moved to the US together. When show He came 175 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: to the majors, I knew he had what it takes 176 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: and I don't think it was going to be this good. 177 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: And for every big moment since then, there's epek Here. 178 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 5: Is the great show Hey Otani with the golden medal. 179 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: This is the guy behind him. This is ape Otani's translator. 180 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 5: He won't catch for a show hey during the twenty 181 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 5: twenty one home run derby. 182 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: What a fun moment doesn't mean he was show his 183 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: catch partner, his driver, and his constant companion as he 184 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: rose to superstart him. Well show hey and epay, thank 185 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: you so much again, and welcome to the Los Angeles 186 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: dodgrict SODEC. So it went way beyond baseball. Well you 187 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: breakfast every day. I'm within three hundred and sixty five 188 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: days of the year, Epe told the Athletic. So it's 189 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: going to be tough if you don't get along on 190 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: a personal level, I get a lot of less swims. 191 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 1: People that are around show her like his parents, seeing 192 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 1: how he's doing and stuff. 193 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: So business. 194 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: Acute. 195 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 6: Yeah, we're not friends or anything. 196 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: We're just business partners. It's easy to imagine how fame 197 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: on this level could be insanely isolating. Add to that 198 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 1: the language barrier, the culture shock of moving to the US, 199 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: the unheard of success. How many people could possibly understand, 200 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,199 Speaker 1: how many people could show Hey possibly trust, Which is 201 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: why this story breaks my heart and we joined it 202 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: with breaking News Right now show. 203 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: Hey Tani is speaking for the first time since this 204 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 2: interpreter was fired for alleged massive theft. 205 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 7: He's given a statement live from Dodger Stadium. Let's listen in. 206 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 6: Minasa Maimino concussion of Mina. 207 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: I've always this kittle. 208 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 6: I'm very sad and shocked that someone who I'm trusted 209 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 6: and has done this, Ie has been stealing money from 210 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 6: my account and has told lies. I didn't know that 211 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 6: I had a gambling addiction and was in debt. All 212 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 6: of this has been a complete lie. In conclusion, I 213 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 6: do want to make it clear that I never better 214 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 6: on sports or has woefully sent money to the bookmaker. Yeah. 215 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 6: I'm looking forward to focusing on the season, and I'm glad. 216 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: That we have this opportunity to talk. 217 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 6: Julie, I said, thank you very much. 218 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. Welcome back to the show. Both 219 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: the IRS and Major League Baseball are investigating what happened. 220 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: As it stands, everybody involved has something to lose. For Epay, 221 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: he's already been fired and it seems like his gambling 222 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: addiction is very serious and very bad. He also mentioned 223 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: in his life public interview that he hadn't told his 224 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: wife about his problem, and there's a lot of negative 225 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: attention on him, and people online are insane. Is he 226 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: okay for Show Hey? He lost his friend and his 227 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: most famous confidant. He's apparently out millions of dollars and 228 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: there are these investigations and he's subject to that inquiry 229 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: and all that comes with it. Baseball players thrive on consistency. 230 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: This is a major monkey wrench thrown into what we 231 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: know about the routines of his life, his public persona, 232 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: everything at a moment when the attention and the pressures 233 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: on him are at an all time high. Will this 234 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: affect his ability to perform? And now to the team, 235 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: the Dodgers, it would be very bad to lose any 236 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: bit of what shohe Otani is bringing to this team, 237 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: this once in a lifetime player. The Dodgers have spent 238 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: seven hundred million dollars on and built their plans for 239 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: the next decade around and there are a lot of 240 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: other players on the team besides Show Hey. What are 241 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: they going through around this team? Chemistry is a real thing, 242 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: and this is media attention of a different order and 243 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: major League Baseball they don't want anything to happen to 244 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: show Hey. This man is the face of baseball around 245 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 1: the world. He is actually here to save baseball. The 246 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: entire industry is counting on him. And as a fan, 247 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: you just want to see this guy play. You don't 248 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: want him to be under investigation and mixed up in 249 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: all this. 250 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: Well, they throw this guy out of baseball. If it's 251 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: proven that he bet on baseball, they better throw it out. 252 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: When show Hay signed his seven hundred million dollar deal 253 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: to become a Dodger in December, Epay immediately became a 254 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: part of the story. 255 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 3: Show hayes interpreter mostly show Hay's best buddy, close friend 256 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 3: epe Mizuhara. 257 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: He's the other guy on stage with the biggest baseball 258 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: player on the planet, and he gets just as much 259 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: airtime because we don't know what show Hay is saying 260 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: until Epey tells us. In this kittle. 261 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,479 Speaker 6: So, his name is Dekoping. He has an American name 262 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 6: and it's Decoy. 263 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: And he's got a look. You know, he's got a vibe. 264 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 2: You're very popular around everyone's digging your haircut over there. 265 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 2: How many people now say they want to have the 266 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 2: Epey haircut? 267 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 4: Working man Zero. 268 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, she is a Japanese woman, and which is part 269 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: of the reason why he became a character instantly on 270 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: our show. Even before this news came out. She's a 271 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: normal Japanese woman. It felt like Ipe was going to 272 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: be a really fun, colorful aspect of following show Hay 273 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 1: during the next decade in Los Angeles. A deep cut, perhaps, 274 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: but a fun part of being a fan. They were 275 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: like frickin' frack inseparable and convincingly friends. It is not 276 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: hyperbole to say that as fans, we start caring about 277 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: these players. By extension, we started caring about Epe and 278 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: Shohei's first season as a Dodger is just about to start. 279 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 1: There are still snow caps on the San Gabriel Mountains. 280 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: The smell of pink flowering jasmine is filling the air 281 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles the sea and nothis is in bloom 282 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: and Griffith Park. It is spring. It is the blank page, 283 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: and we were all feeling like the Dodgers were going 284 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: to write us a pretty amazing story this year Dodger. 285 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 1: No matter how this shakes out and whoever is guilty 286 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: of what, there's one thing I keep coming back to 287 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: Ipe and show Hay, the inseparable duo, are now split. 288 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 1: What happened? How and when did the trust between these 289 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: two break down to the point that show Hay is 290 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: publicly disowning his best in front of television cameras. How 291 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: did things spiral so badly out of control that we 292 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 1: ended up here? 293 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 6: All of this has been a complete lie Lie Lie, Lie, 294 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 6: Lie line line. 295 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: Here's a timeline of what we know. The following is 296 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: based on things first reported by ESPN. 297 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 5: The twenty twenty four Major League Baseball season set to 298 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 5: get underway. 299 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: We are at South Korea, Soul to be exact. The 300 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: whole thing took place on the grandest stage as the 301 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: Dodgers took the field for the first game of the 302 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: twenty twenty fourth season on March twentieth in Seoul, South Korea. 303 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: Oh say, can you see you can get quicklil you 304 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: also tell me complete it. This is Showhay's first game 305 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: in Dodger Blue after signing a contract for seven hundred 306 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 1: million dollars. Good periods and the whole world is watching. 307 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 5: Hey o Tani, Here's arrival marks start of a new chapter. 308 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 5: With so much anticipation, had so much expectation to come 309 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 5: for his arrival. 310 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 1: There's Ebey in the dugout Browns follow one ball, one stride. 311 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: He knows something we don't. At the end of this game, 312 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: he's going back into the Dodgers clubhouse and he's going 313 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: to confess what he's done. 314 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 3: Garbage. 315 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 5: Stultani again reaches out, specs it to short. There's Kim, 316 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 5: there's good guys forces later and you see one of 317 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 5: the tools that is probably underappreciated just given everything that 318 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 5: he does. 319 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 3: He's got great. 320 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: Speed, he got horn. Ebey's life has been unraveling for 321 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: the past forty eight hours as a months long investigation 322 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: by ESPN has reached a boiling point. He has a 323 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: gambling addiction, and he's accrued millions of dollars of debt 324 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 1: with a bookmaker in southern California who is now under 325 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:02,199 Speaker 1: federal investigation for illegal game. They've got wire transfers sent 326 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: to the bookie to pay down Epay's debts, totaling a 327 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: million dollars with show Hay's name on them. The day before, 328 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: after learning about this from ESPN, sho Hay's agent had 329 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: confronted Epay and hired a crisis communications spokesman and earlier. 330 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: That same day, before the game, the spokesman in Epay 331 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: had sat for a ninety minute interview with ESPN. Epay 332 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 1: had confessed to it all. He'd met the bookie at 333 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: a card game in twenty twenty one. He told the 334 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: reporter they were introduced by Atlanta Braves infielder David Fletcher, 335 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: who had previously played with Otani on the Angels. Shortly 336 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: after he met the bookie, Epay told the reporter he 337 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: started betting on sports, but not on baseball, using credit. 338 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: By the end of twenty twenty two, he'd amassed a 339 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: million dollars in debt and was borrowing money from friends 340 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: and family, but not show Hey. I couldn't share this 341 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: with show Hay. Epay told the reporter. It was hard 342 00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: for me to make my ends meet. I was going 343 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: pay check to paycheck because I kind of had to 344 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: keep up with his lifestyle. But at the same time, 345 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: I didn't want to tell him this. At the time, 346 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: ipe told ESPN he was making about eighty five thousand 347 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: dollars a year. In twenty twenty two, show Hay was 348 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: making five point five million dollars and was earning much 349 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: more than that. In endorsements. Most estimates say at least 350 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: forty million dollars each year. Ipe described his relationship with 351 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: Shohey to ESPN as quote brothers, and he said that 352 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: he feared losing show Hay's trust. 353 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 7: Rule twenty one in baseball subsection D. 354 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 6: Do you know what that is? 355 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm familiar with it. 356 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball takes betting very seriously. If a Major 357 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: League Baseball player or employee like Epe is found to 358 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: be betting illegally or betting on baseball in any way, 359 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: could face a lifetime ban from the sport. 360 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 8: The banishment for life of Pete Rose from baseball is 361 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 8: the sad end of a sorry episode. 362 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: One of the greatest baseball players to ever live, the 363 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: hit King, Pete Rose, will never be inducted into the 364 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,360 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame because he bet on baseball. Rose knew 365 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: the rule, It's still posted in every Major League clubhouse. 366 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: But he broke it anyway. 367 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 2: So why would you violate it? 368 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 7: Well, I wish I could answer that question, but I 369 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 7: just can't. 370 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 2: I was wrong. I'm just stupid. The worst thing I 371 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 2: ever did in my life. 372 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: This is the man who said I'd walk through hell 373 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: in a gasoline suit to play baseball. Illegal gambling operations 374 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: are notoriously predatory. They offer credit in part because a 375 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: gambling addiction will drive you to make wildly irresponsible decisions. 376 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: This is why the IRS is currently investigating Matthew Boyer 377 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 1: the book in Orange County Ebey was using. So why 378 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: would Ipe hide this from Showhy? Did he feel he 379 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 1: was protecting his friend? Did he know he was endangering 380 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: both their careers? Did he feel somehow that his gambling 381 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 1: violated the terms of their relationship? Ebe told ESPN he 382 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: didn't bet on baseball and that he didn't know the 383 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: bookie he was using was illegal when he first started 384 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: using him. But he kept his gambling a secret from 385 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: Showhy nonetheless for years, while racking up more and more debt, 386 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: Things got worse. By early twenty twenty three, Epe's debt 387 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: was four million dollars. He told ESPN he feared for 388 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: his safety and that somebody might come to his house. 389 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: This is when, according to Ipe's original interview with ESPN, 390 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: he finally went to OTA for help. I explain my situation. 391 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 3: He says. 392 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: Obviously he wasn't happy about it, but he said he 393 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 1: would help me. Ebe described a scene in which he 394 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: and show Hay together logged into show Hay's bank account 395 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: on show Hay's computer and sent a handful of transactions, 396 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 1: each at five hundred thousand dollars over the course of 397 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: several months to pay off Matthew Boyer, the bookie in 398 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: Orange County, and by the time of Ebe's interview on 399 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: opening day in Korea, ESPN had seen two of those 400 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: wire transfers, both with show Hay's name on them. Ebe said, 401 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: show Hey quote didn't have a clue that the person 402 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: he was paying back was a bookie. I just told 403 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: him I need to send a wire to pay off 404 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 1: the debt. When asked if he thought he was putting 405 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: himself or show Hay at risk by asking to pay 406 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: it off, Ebe said, I don't think either of us 407 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: thought about that at the time at all. Ipe described 408 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: the guilty felt after asking for show Hayes help. It 409 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: was hard to see him. He said, he's a great guy, 410 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: and Ipe told ESPN that Shohey has never gambled, and 411 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: Quote thinks gambling is terrible. That's what Ipe told an 412 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: ESPN reporter in the presence of a crisis communications spokesperson 413 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: who was hired by Sho Hayes agent Nez Bilelo, who 414 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: Ipe had also been going back and forth with about this, 415 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: in addition to other unnamed representatives of Sho Hayes and 416 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: apparently possibly top Dodgers executives in the days leading up 417 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: to the first game of the season in Seoul, South Korea. Horner, 418 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: here's Freddie Freeman. 419 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 5: Hofgozo, Tommy, and he's got that thick stolen easily twenty 420 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 5: three bags last year. 421 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: And you'd imagine this is what was on his mind 422 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: for most of the ballgame, knowing he'd have to confess 423 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: to the entire team after the last out, and on 424 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 1: top of everything else, ESPN reported Rob Manfred, the Commissioner 425 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,719 Speaker 1: of Baseball, who was in Soul to see show Hay's debut, 426 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: had been alerted to the situation. 427 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 9: Here's Otani with two on and one. They slights the 428 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 9: first pitch. Pitch it in the lornt centerfield. Get that's 429 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 9: a base hit. Here's what's coming around there. He'll score 430 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 9: standing it is five to two. 431 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: As show, hey, show hey. He was having a really 432 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: good debut. The Dodgers out away from you. 433 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 3: He started to show here. 434 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: With two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, 435 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: the camera's cut to show Hay as he walks through 436 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: the dugout. He sidles up to Epay and he says 437 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: something to him. Ipe, who is talking to somebody else 438 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: off camera, turns to show Hay and smiles and says 439 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. 440 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 9: And then the game ends and the Dodgers win the 441 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 9: first game up twenty twenty four. 442 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: They are one hand. 443 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 6: Ah after this victory. Years and I. 444 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: That moment in the dugout in the ninth inning is 445 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: the last time we'll see them on camera together. Maybe Ever? 446 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: What was Shoh saying? What was Epay thinking? Moments later, 447 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: they're in the clubhouse behind closed doors. It's time for 448 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: Epay to confess. According to ESPN, in addition to the 449 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: entire team, the meeting is attended by Dodgers owner Mark 450 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: Walter and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of Baseball Operations 451 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: who led the effort to sign O Tommy to the 452 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: Dodgers in the off season. 453 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 7: We were getting ready to publish our story. 454 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 1: This is Tisha Thompson, the reporter who led the investigation 455 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:48,959 Speaker 1: for ESPN. 456 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 7: There was a meeting right after the game was over. 457 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 7: In South Korea, and MS Harr gets up again based 458 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 7: on what I've been told, says something to the effect 459 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 7: of I'm sorry, I apologize. I have a gambling problem. 460 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 7: Another player says, so what, so what? 461 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: You might have noticed that gambling is on the rise 462 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: in the United States. Just five years ago, a Supreme 463 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: Court ruling effectively legalized commercial sports betting in the US, 464 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: and gambling is now legal in thirty eight states. One 465 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: in five Americans bet on sports in twenty twenty two, 466 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: according to Pew Research, and we bet one hundred and 467 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: twenty billion dollars on sports last year according to S 468 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: and P Global. This change is creating a paradox for 469 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball, which within months of that Supreme Court 470 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: ruling had partnered with DraftKings, MGM and fan duel. Betting 471 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: is a cardinal sin in baseball. It can get you 472 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: and for life, the equivalent of excommunication from the Church 473 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: of baseball. But also, betting is everywhere in baseball. I 474 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: listen to more baseball podcasts than I listen to any 475 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 1: other kind of podcast, and they are filled with ads 476 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: for betting sites and apps. And Major League Baseball does 477 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: not have a rule against its players and employees betting 478 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: on other sports legally. The point is to hear that 479 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: somebody is betting on sports in a baseball clubhouse might 480 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: not come as much of a surprise to a player. 481 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: So what, Well, it's not legal to bet on sports 482 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: of any kind in the state of California, and illegal 483 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: gambling operations are illegal. For an MLB player or employee, 484 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: the only thing worse than betting on baseball would be 485 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: betting on baseball illegally. Then you get the double whammy 486 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: of both the federal crime and the most severe rule 487 00:31:56,360 --> 00:32:00,040 Speaker 1: violation possible. Whether he knows all this or not, but 488 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: the moment Epey was standing in that clubhouse before all 489 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: the Dodgers and team officials and his best ye show, Hey, 490 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: he knows the reporters have seen two wire transfers, each 491 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:15,719 Speaker 1: totaling five hundred thousand dollars sent to an illegal bookie 492 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: in southern California to pay off his illegal gambler's debt, 493 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 1: and he knows that those transfers have Shohei Otani's name 494 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: on them. 495 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 7: Another player says, so what, And that is when the 496 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 7: president of the Dodger says, well, Otani paid off. 497 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 1: The debts according to ESPN's source, a Dodger's official who 498 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: was in the room that night, Andrew Friedman stands up 499 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: in front of the room, including all the players, and 500 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: tells them that Shohey helped Epey pay off his debts, 501 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: which is the same thing that epe said in his 502 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: interview with ESPN earlier that day, but it is something 503 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: that is never said again. After this point, the story 504 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: changes because this is where show he takes over. 505 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 6: So during the team meeting, obviously was speaking English and 506 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 6: I didn't have a translator on my side, but even 507 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 6: with that, I kind of understood what was going on 508 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 6: and started to feel that there was something amiss. And 509 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 6: so up until that team meeting, I didn't know that 510 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 6: I had a gambling addiction and was in debt and. 511 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 1: What's it? 512 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 6: So I'm looking look at Just prior to the meeting, 513 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 6: I was told by epei Hey, let's talk one to 514 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 6: one Indie hotel after the meeting, so I waited until then. 515 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:18,280 Speaker 7: They meet oh Tahani, who he's not human in English, 516 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 7: everyone says that, but he has enough understanding of English, 517 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,959 Speaker 7: according to the sources we talked to yesterday to start 518 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 7: to say wyat. 519 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,879 Speaker 1: Then there is a ride back to the hotel, maybe 520 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 1: the two road together. We don't know. Imagine you're the 521 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 1: most famous baseball player on the planet. Even in your 522 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: big life filled with travel, attention, and pressure. This week 523 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 1: has been a doozy. You flew to Korea with your 524 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: new wife to play your first ever game as a Dodger, 525 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 1: and your sleep spin a little off. But you did it. 526 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: You had a good game, a hit in our a 527 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 1: stolen base, and the Dodgers won. Time to get back 528 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: to the hotel, log some good sleep, get up and 529 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 1: do it all over again the next day. 530 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 5: But now this. 531 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:20,240 Speaker 1: According to ESPN, the clubhouse meeting took place at eleven 532 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: pm soul time. Sometime over the next hour and a 533 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: half E Bay and show Hey meet one on one 534 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 1: at the Fairmont Ambassador Hotel and Seoul a skyscraper with 535 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 1: views of the Han River. How many times before had 536 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:43,319 Speaker 1: these brothers sat in rooms just like this, late at night, 537 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 1: an unfamiliar place alone. It is the look in his eyes, 538 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,840 Speaker 1: the tone of his voice, that thing he does with 539 00:35:52,920 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 1: his hands, and you know, let's just. 540 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 6: Checking. And finally, when we went back to the hotel 541 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:10,399 Speaker 6: and talked one to one, that was when I found 542 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 6: out that he had a master's need things and it 543 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,840 Speaker 6: was revealed to me during that meaning that he he 544 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 6: paid admitted that he was sending money using my account 545 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 6: to the bookmaker, and obviously I did not never agreed 546 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 6: to pay off the debt or you know, make the 547 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 6: payment side be a bookmaker. 548 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 1: Otani's representatives had continued to rely on Mizuhara to communicate 549 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: with Otani while they were dealing with the situation, according 550 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:52,760 Speaker 1: to ESPN, and Mizuhara did not tell Otani what was happening. 551 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 1: According to Otani, media outlets began asking questions about the 552 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 1: wire transfer his last week, but Mizuhara never relayed those messages. 553 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 1: That's from the Athletic. 554 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 6: So all of this has been a complete line line. 555 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:26,400 Speaker 1: Line Nez Ballelo, the Crisis Communications spokesperson, top Dodgers executives, 556 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:32,000 Speaker 1: Tisha Thompson from ESPN, All these people were working off 557 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 1: of the same story. Ipe's story. Up until this point, 558 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: Ibe had been lying to everybody. If you believe Shohei 559 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:46,839 Speaker 1: Otani and the reports that people kept using Ipe as 560 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:50,080 Speaker 1: an interpreter even as this was going on, which would 561 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: also mean nobody had spoken to Showhy directly about this at. 562 00:37:54,960 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 6: All, Amos, And at that moment, obviously I was it 563 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 6: was an absurd thing that was happening, and I've contacted 564 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 6: my representatives at that point. 565 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 1: And according to Showhy, it was him who had to 566 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 1: get in touch with everybody else that had already been 567 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 1: involved for the past forty eight hours to let them 568 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 1: know what's going on, benguishing. 569 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:22,399 Speaker 8: Next to next mons. 570 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 6: When I was finally able to talk to my representatives, 571 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,080 Speaker 6: that's when my representatives found out that IP has been 572 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 6: lying the whole time. And that's when I started contacting 573 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:33,600 Speaker 6: the Dodgers and my lawyers, and the Dodgers and the 574 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:37,239 Speaker 6: lawyers at that moment found out also as well that 575 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:38,839 Speaker 6: they have been lied too. 576 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 1: Twelve thirty am soul Time, the crisis spokesman hired by 577 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:51,040 Speaker 1: Otani's agent tells ESPN to hold their story that all 578 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 1: communication between Otani and his agent had gone through Mizuhara. 579 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 1: Two fifteen am souls t The Otani spokesman says, quote, 580 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 1: Mizuhara is despondent and needs to explain his situation to 581 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 1: his family, and says that attorneys are preparing a statement. 582 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: Three am. Otani's lawyers issue a statement to ESPN. They 583 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: say that shohe has been the victim of massive theft. 584 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:26,280 Speaker 1: Three thirty am, the Dodgers fire Ipe four fifty five am, 585 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: less than an hour before sunrise in soul. Ipe gets 586 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:33,319 Speaker 1: on the phone with ESPN. He says he had lied 587 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:36,240 Speaker 1: in his previous interview and walks back much of his story. 588 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 1: He tells ESPN Otani had no knowledge of his gambling activities, debts, 589 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:44,600 Speaker 1: or efforts to repay them. Quote, Obviously this is all 590 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 1: my fault, everything I've done. I'm ready to face all 591 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: the consequences. When did Otani become aware of the situation, 592 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 1: ESPN asks, they told me. I can't answer anything, he 593 00:39:56,920 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: says Otani's representatives are they representing U? 594 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:01,040 Speaker 8: No? 595 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:04,759 Speaker 1: He says, Are you taking any form of payment to 596 00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:05,680 Speaker 1: tell me these things? 597 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:06,759 Speaker 2: No? 598 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,480 Speaker 1: He says, have you made any kind of agreement to 599 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:11,280 Speaker 1: say these things? 600 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:12,320 Speaker 8: No? 601 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,880 Speaker 1: He says, You're doing this of your own volition and 602 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 1: free will. Yes. Did you bet on baseball? 603 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:21,360 Speaker 8: No? 604 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:35,240 Speaker 1: Did you lie to show Hey? Yes. In a final 605 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: conversation with ESPN, the spokesman says that Epay has been 606 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:43,320 Speaker 1: controlling information to show Hey, using his position as the 607 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:47,320 Speaker 1: interpreter and as for show Hey quote, he didn't know 608 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 1: what the buck was going on by the time the 609 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:54,279 Speaker 1: ESPN story actually comes out. It's the story of two 610 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 1: stories what EPA said in his interview initially that Showey 611 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:00,759 Speaker 1: helped him pay off his debts, and the correction of that, 612 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:06,360 Speaker 1: which everybody, including Epay himself, immediately aligned on after that 613 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,600 Speaker 1: one on one meeting with Shohy in the hotel that night. 614 00:41:10,520 --> 00:41:13,800 Speaker 1: This is wild, and it paints a very strange portrait 615 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: of what it's like to be this famous, important, rich 616 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:21,840 Speaker 1: and Japanese in a Major League baseball clubhouse. It's the 617 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:26,480 Speaker 1: highest pressure moment imaginable, opening day show Hay's first game 618 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 1: as a Dodger after signing a contract for seven hundred 619 00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:33,800 Speaker 1: million dollars, and it's in South Korea. Everybody knows this 620 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:36,399 Speaker 1: negative story is coming, and they know that the debt 621 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:39,480 Speaker 1: is in the millions of dollars, and they know per 622 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:43,279 Speaker 1: epay that the debt is Epe's and that show Hay's 623 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:46,200 Speaker 1: name is on the wires. So this guy's mixed up 624 00:41:46,239 --> 00:41:49,800 Speaker 1: in illegal gambling and he's gotten their star player involved. 625 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,800 Speaker 1: And still everybody is going through Epay to talk to 626 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 1: show Hey about this. I mean, I know, he's busy 627 00:41:57,600 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: getting ready for the first game of the season, and 628 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 1: he likes asleep, but still, and somehow Andrew Friedman, the 629 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: Dodger's president of baseball operations, the guy who runs the 630 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 1: business side of things, he knows about eBay's lie and 631 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:13,439 Speaker 1: doesn't even know that it's a lie before show Hey 632 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:16,720 Speaker 1: hears about it and he announces it to the entire team, 633 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:19,759 Speaker 1: and show Hay is there trying to follow all the 634 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:23,400 Speaker 1: English and thinking what is he saying? 635 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:24,040 Speaker 6: What what? 636 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 1: Because somehow he's the last to know. And I want 637 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:31,879 Speaker 1: to reiterate that this is all based on things other 638 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:34,839 Speaker 1: people have reported and said, so nothing is certain here 639 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,920 Speaker 1: and we will see what the investigations proved to be true. 640 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 1: But this order of events that show Hay would be 641 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 1: the last to know of the lie and the one 642 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:47,279 Speaker 1: to expose it is the craziest part of all of this, 643 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:52,839 Speaker 1: and it's pretty devastating, and it definitely could be true 644 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:57,360 Speaker 1: because that's the power that Ebe had as show Hay's 645 00:42:57,440 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 1: interpreter and as somebody show Hay trusted. The story that 646 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:09,080 Speaker 1: they're painting right now is basically a like, uh, Ridley, 647 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:09,759 Speaker 1: what's that movie? 648 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:10,920 Speaker 7: Talented? 649 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:16,880 Speaker 1: Mister Ripley. It's Tom, Tom Ripley, Tom Ripley. We were 650 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 1: at Princeton together, Okay. In the weeks since this story broke, 651 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:26,560 Speaker 1: The Athletic reported that Epe had inaccuracies in a public 652 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:29,800 Speaker 1: biography he used well employed by the Angels, which stated 653 00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:33,759 Speaker 1: that Ipe graduated from the University of California Riverside, but, 654 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 1: as first reported in NBC, the university found no record 655 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:41,719 Speaker 1: of his attendance. The biography also said that Ipe worked 656 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:44,000 Speaker 1: for the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. 657 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:47,719 Speaker 1: The Athletic found reason to question the Yankees job, and 658 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:51,360 Speaker 1: the Red Sox released a very firm statement insisting that 659 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,359 Speaker 1: Epe never worked for the team. 660 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,520 Speaker 4: Llween and Annabel we are just outside the gated community 661 00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 4: where Matthew Boyer lives. This is also where back in October, 662 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:01,439 Speaker 4: federal agents raided his whole. 663 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:06,080 Speaker 1: David Fletcher, the braves infielder who Epey told ESPN introduced 664 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:08,919 Speaker 1: him to Matthew Boyer the bookie at a card game, 665 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:12,480 Speaker 1: also disputes what Epe said. Fletcher says that he was 666 00:44:12,520 --> 00:44:14,799 Speaker 1: at the game, but that he didn't introduce them. 667 00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 4: Diane Bass says she began representing Boyer after that October 668 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:21,839 Speaker 4: federal raid. The most important thing that I want people 669 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:25,200 Speaker 4: to know is that mister Boyer never met shohe A Tani, 670 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:27,520 Speaker 4: never spoke with Shoheo Tani. The only person he dealt 671 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:28,160 Speaker 4: with was Epay. 672 00:44:35,480 --> 00:44:38,359 Speaker 1: There's much more to this story to be sure. If 673 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:40,680 Speaker 1: ipe really did it, how did he have access to 674 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:44,400 Speaker 1: the accounts, the passwords? Why didn't anybody notice the money 675 00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 1: was missing? Could epe have been betting on baseball? After all? 676 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:52,280 Speaker 1: Was he telling lies about show Hay In the narrative 677 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:55,920 Speaker 1: of the talented mister Epey? Shohey did nothing wrong, but 678 00:44:56,040 --> 00:44:58,239 Speaker 1: could he be found to have known something about this 679 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:04,279 Speaker 1: or worse? Certainly? So, where do things stand? The La 680 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:07,000 Speaker 1: Times ran a story about how Shohey was not a 681 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:10,400 Speaker 1: target in the federal investigation and that the feds quote 682 00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 1: wanted the bookies, not the betters. It seems like the 683 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:16,640 Speaker 1: feds have bigger fish to fry, and that they're not 684 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,960 Speaker 1: really interested in show Hay or Epe. As for Major 685 00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:24,200 Speaker 1: League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has come out and said 686 00:45:24,239 --> 00:45:26,960 Speaker 1: that he hopes that the MLB investigation will take a 687 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 1: quote short time. Baseball mostly seems interested in simply verifying 688 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 1: the story that Shohey has put out there. The last 689 00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:38,239 Speaker 1: time Major League Baseball penalized a player for gambling, it 690 00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:42,879 Speaker 1: was Jared Cosart in twenty fifteen. Cosart received an undisclosed 691 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:46,000 Speaker 1: fine from Major League Baseball for betting on other sports. 692 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 1: And that was before the Supreme Court ruling that effectively 693 00:45:49,120 --> 00:45:53,080 Speaker 1: legalized sports betting in most states. So we'll see what 694 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:56,120 Speaker 1: happens with all that, and we'll keep you posted here. 695 00:45:56,800 --> 00:46:06,919 Speaker 1: And in the meantime, there's Baseball and friends. Baseball sure 696 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,400 Speaker 1: can be funny. I mean, who could have guessed this 697 00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:18,320 Speaker 1: is how we'd start this season? And I got a 698 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:21,800 Speaker 1: feeling that this season has a few more unexpected twists 699 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:26,880 Speaker 1: in store for us. Sure, hope you'll join us for 700 00:46:27,000 --> 00:46:38,359 Speaker 1: the ride here on Dodger Blue Dream hang Out. We'll 701 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:39,839 Speaker 1: do the credits now. 702 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,880 Speaker 8: Fans please predates fanay for the second our National Lands 703 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:48,200 Speaker 8: Company by Dodger Say your Morgan is please Walter, lifelong 704 00:46:48,280 --> 00:46:52,360 Speaker 8: Dodger fan and multi plant and recording artist Josh Groban. 705 00:47:10,360 --> 00:47:14,760 Speaker 1: Dodger Blue Dream is written and produced by me Richard Parks. 706 00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:19,320 Speaker 1: Today's episode was story edited by Caitlin Esh with production 707 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:25,000 Speaker 1: assistants from Angel Curetas. Original music in this episode by 708 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:28,840 Speaker 1: William Ryan Fritch and by me. This episode is a 709 00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:32,240 Speaker 1: digest of things that I've read. All the original reporting 710 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:36,320 Speaker 1: was done by ESPN and also the Los Angeles Times, 711 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:40,839 Speaker 1: The Athletic, NBC and other outlets. We'll try to link 712 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:58,359 Speaker 1: to some of the pieces in the show notes. If 713 00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:01,360 Speaker 1: you like the show, please let's share it with a friend, 714 00:48:01,680 --> 00:48:04,560 Speaker 1: post it to social media, and leave us a review. 715 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:06,960 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you in a review with 716 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:09,640 Speaker 1: a question or a thought about the show, so we 717 00:48:09,760 --> 00:48:13,080 Speaker 1: can tweak the approach as the season goes on. Thanks 718 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:48,440 Speaker 1: for listening. We'll see you next time. All right, That 719 00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:53,000 Speaker 1: was it the talented mister e Pay. Next week on 720 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:56,880 Speaker 1: the Feed, we will bring you the complaint against Epay, 721 00:48:57,360 --> 00:49:01,080 Speaker 1: which continues this story, delving into all the details that 722 00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:05,560 Speaker 1: became available in a one hundred page criminal complaint that 723 00:49:05,640 --> 00:49:07,920 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of time with back in the 724 00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:10,960 Speaker 1: spring of twenty twenty four. So look out for that 725 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:13,760 Speaker 1: next week. Thanks again for listening.