1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: If you haven't listened to our first episode, Normal Japanese Woman, 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: you might want to start there. When I started this project, 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: I knew that the Dodgers were going to be something 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: we'd all want to talk about, But I never could 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: have guessed we'd be talking about this. 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: You're following that baseball player shoe Hey Otani seven hundred 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: million dollar contract with the LA Dodgers, and now there's 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: some weird stuff going on with gambling, four and a 9 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 2: half million dollar betting scandal. 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: Addiction, lies, millions of dollars in illicit gambler's debt, and 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: two brothers torn asunder. Today we bring you the story 12 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: that has defined the start of the twenty twenty four 13 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Dodgers baseball season. 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: Will they throw this guy out of baseball? If it's 15 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 2: proven that he bet on baseball? 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: They better throw his eyes out of baseball? 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 3: WHOA, that's all you better base out? 18 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 1: That is truly wild, and as a fan, it's kind 19 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: of heartbreaking. Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream. I'm Richard Parks. 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: I'm a writer, podcaster, and diehard Dodger fan, born and 21 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: raised in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the 22 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: story of the twenty twenty four baseball season. This is 23 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: a documentary about a year we will never forget. Today's 24 00:01:44,959 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: episode the talented mister Ebe Imagine for a moment. You're 25 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: the most famous baseball player on the planet. You are 26 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: incredibly rich and incredibly important. You are valued in every 27 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: measurable sense by every powerful person you could possibly think of, 28 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: as a messiah like figure here to save baseball. You 29 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: just signed a contract for seven hundred million dollars to 30 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: play a child's game in a foreign country. Your life 31 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: is baseball, and you treat your body as a sacred machine. 32 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: You sleep ten hours a day plus naps on a 33 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: nine thousand dollars custom mattress made by a company you 34 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: do ads for in Japan. You speak openly of your 35 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: love of sleep, but little else. You recently married in 36 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: secret to a woman even your fellow teammates hadn't met. 37 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: It's not in your interest to be anything but private, 38 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: but you do have to talk to the media, and 39 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: there are scores of whose lives revolve specifically around you 40 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: and your movements. Grown men twice your age who brought 41 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: their families here clear across the world to write stories 42 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: about how special you are. You've been famous for a 43 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: long time. You were famous when you were a teenager, 44 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: when you were playing for the ham Fighters in Hokkaido. 45 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: That's when you met this guy Epe. You were eighteen, 46 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: he was twenty six. He grew up in the US, 47 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: the birthplace of baseball, the place you hoped to move 48 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: to one day to play in the major leagues. And 49 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: since then, Epe has been by your side every step. 50 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 4: Show Hayes interpreter mostly Show Hayes best buddy, close friend, 51 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 4: Epe Mizuhara, Epei Mizuhara. 52 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: Trust Can you imagine the trust required Ipe Mizujara was 53 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: not just Shoho interpreter. They went through this life together 54 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: for more than a decade. Show Hey, the boyish star 55 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: and Epe the older brother and the protector. My first question, 56 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: first big interview with ESPN, how do we spell your 57 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: last name? Epe is there? Show Hey is so young, 58 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: he doesn't know the real answer, but whatever. He has 59 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: to fill out papers and he puts the agent there. 60 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 5: I mean, I watched him for the five years with 61 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 5: the Fighters. 62 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: Saw knew he and the talent. They moved to the 63 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: US together. When Show he came to the majors. I 64 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: knew he had what it takes, and I didn't think 65 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: it was going to be this good. And for every 66 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: big moment since then, there's Epek. 67 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 6: Here is the great show Hey Otani with the gold medal. 68 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 4: The unicorn. 69 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: This is the guy behind him. This is ape Otani's translator. 70 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 4: He will catch for a show Hey. 71 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 6: During the twenty twenty one home run derby, What a 72 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 6: fun moment. 73 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: That's was Showy's catch partner, his driver, and his constant 74 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: companion as he rose to superstart him. 75 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 7: Show Hey and epay, thank you so much again, and 76 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 7: welcome to the Los Angeles dodgrict soject. 77 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: So so it went way beyond baseball. Well he breakfast 78 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: every day. I'm within three hundred and sixty five days 79 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: of the year, epe told the Athletic. So it's going 80 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: to be tough if you don't get along on a 81 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: personal level. I get a lot of less its pen 82 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: people that are around show here, like his parents, seeing 83 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: how he's doing and stuff. So business. 84 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 5: Night, Isscube. 85 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're not friends or anything. We're just business partners. 86 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: It's easy to imagine how fame on this level could 87 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: be insanely isolating. Add to that, the language barrier, the 88 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: culture shock of moving to the US, the unheard of success, 89 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: how many people could possibly understand, how many people could 90 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: show Hey possibly trust, which is why this story breaks 91 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: my heart. 92 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: And we joined it with breaking News Right now show 93 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: Hey Tani is speaking for the first time since this 94 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 2: interpreter was fired for alleged massive theft. He's given a 95 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,239 Speaker 2: statement live from Dodger Stadium. 96 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 8: Let's listen in. 97 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 5: Minta Machimino concussion of Mina this kitdle f An. 98 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 9: I'm very sad and shocked. You bet someone who I'm 99 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 9: trusted and has done this, Ie has been stealing money 100 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 9: from my account and has told lies. I didn't know 101 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 9: that I had a gambling addiction and was in debt. 102 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 9: All of this has been a complete lie. In conclusion, 103 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 9: I do want to make it clear that I never 104 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 9: better on sports or has willfully sent money to the 105 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 9: bookmaker interviewing. Yeah, I'm looking forward to focusing on season. 106 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 9: I'm glad that we had this opportunity to talk with usually. 107 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 9: Thank you very much. 108 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: Both the IRS and Major League Baseball are investigating what happened. 109 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: As it stands, everybody involved has something to lose for epay, 110 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: he's already been fired, and it seems like his gambling 111 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: addiction is very serious and very bad. He also mentioned 112 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: in his last public interview that he hadn't told his 113 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: wife about his problem, and there's a lot of negative 114 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: attention on him and people online are insane. Is he 115 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: okay for Showhey? He lost his friend and his most 116 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: famous confidant. He's apparently out millions of dollars and there 117 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: are these investigations and he's subject to that inquiry and 118 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: all that comes with it. Baseball players thrive on consistency. 119 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: This is a major monkey wrench thrown into what we 120 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: know about the routines of his life, his public persona, 121 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: everything at a moment when the attention and the pressures 122 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: on him are at an all time high. Will this 123 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: affect his ability to perform? And now to the team, 124 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: the Dodgers, It would be very bad to lose any 125 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: bit of what Shoheo Tani is bringing to this team, 126 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: this once in a lifetime player. The Dodgers have spent 127 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: seven hundred million dollars on and built their plans for 128 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: the next decade around and there are a lot of 129 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: other players on the team besides Show Hey, what are 130 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: they going through around this team? Chemistry is a real thing, 131 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,559 Speaker 1: and this is media attention of a different order and 132 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: major League Baseball. They don't want anything to happen to show. Hey, 133 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: this man is the face of baseball around the world. 134 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: He is actually here to save baseball. The entire industry 135 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: is counting on him. And as a fan, you just 136 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: want to see this guy play. You don't want him 137 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: to be under investigation and mixed up in all this. 138 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 2: Well, they throw this guy out of baseball if it's 139 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: proven that he bet on baseball. 140 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: When show Hay signed his seven hundred million dollar deal 141 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: to become a Dodger in December, Epay immediately became a 142 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: part of the story. 143 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 4: Show hayes interpreter mostly show Hay's best buddy, close friend, 144 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 4: Epe Mizuhara. 145 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: He's the other guy on stage with the biggest baseball 146 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: player on the planet, and he gets just as much 147 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: airtime because we don't know what show Hay is saying 148 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: until Epe tells us. 149 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 9: So. His name is Dekoping. 150 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 10: He has an American name and it's decoy. 151 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: And he's got a look. You know, he's got a vibe. 152 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: You're very popular around. 153 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: Everyone's digging your haircut over there. How many people now 154 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 2: say they want to have the epay haircut working Man. 155 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: Zero Now she is a Japanese woman, which is part 156 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: of the reason why he became a character instantly on 157 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: our show. Even before this news came out. Look, she's 158 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: a normal Japanese woman. It felt like Ipe was going 159 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: to be a really fun, colorful aspect of following show 160 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: Hay during the next decade in Los Angeles. A deep cut, perhaps, 161 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: but a fun part of being a fan. They were 162 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: like Frickin' frack inseparable and convincingly friends. It is not 163 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: hyperbole to say that as fans, we start caring about 164 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: these players. By extension, we started caring about Epe and 165 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: Shohey's first season as a Dodger is just about to start. 166 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: There are still snow caps on the San Gabriel Mountains. 167 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: The smell of pink flowering jasmine is filling the air 168 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles the sea, and nothis is in bloom 169 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: in Griffith Park. It is spring. It is the blank page, 170 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: and we were all all feeling like the Dodgers were 171 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: going to write us a pretty amazing story this year 172 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: For Dodger base No matter how this shakes out and 173 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: whoever is guilty of what, There's one thing I keep 174 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: coming back to Epay and show Hey, the inseparable duo 175 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: are now split. What happened? How and when did the 176 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: trust between these two break down to the point that 177 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: show Hay is publicly disowning his bestie in front of 178 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: television cameras. How did things spirals so badly out of 179 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: control that we ended up here? 180 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 9: All of this has been a complete lie Lie Lie, Lie, Lie, 181 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 9: Lie Lie. 182 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: Here's a timeline of what we know. The following is 183 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,239 Speaker 1: based on things first reported by ESPN the twenty. 184 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 6: Twenty four Major League Baseball season set to get underway. 185 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: We are in South Korea, Soul, to be exact. The 186 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: whole thing took place on the grandest stage as the 187 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: Dodgers took the field for the first game of the 188 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty fourth season on March twentieth in Seoul, South Korea. 189 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 7: Oh can you see you. 190 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: Can get cook? 191 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 7: Will you also tell me complay? 192 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: This is Showhey's first game in Dodger Blue after signing 193 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: a contract for seven hundred million dollars. Good periods and 194 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: the whole world is watching show. 195 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 6: Hey Otani, He's arrival marks started a new chapter with 196 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 6: so much anticipation and so much expectation to come for 197 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 6: his arrival. 198 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: There's Ebey in the dugout. 199 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 6: Brown's Foo one ball, one stride. 200 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: He knows something we don't. At the end of this game, 201 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: he's going back into the Dodgers clubhouse and he's going 202 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: to confess what he's done. 203 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 4: Garbage. 204 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 6: Stultani again reaches out, smacks it to short. There's Kim, 205 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 6: there's good guys forces later and you see one of 206 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 6: the tools that is probably underappreciated. 207 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: Just given everything that he does. He's got great speed. 208 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:18,079 Speaker 9: He got porn. 209 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: Epay's life has been unraveling for the past forty eight 210 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: hours as a months long investigation by ESPN has reached 211 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: a boiling point. He has a gambling addiction and he's 212 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: accrued millions of dollars of debt with a bookmaker in 213 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: southern California who is now under federal investigation for illegal gambling. 214 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: They've got wire transfers sent to the bookie to pay 215 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: down Epay's debts, totaling a million dollars with Sho Hay's 216 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: name on them. The day before after learning about this 217 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 1: from ESPN, Sho Hayes's agent had confronted Epay and hired 218 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: a crisis communications spokesman, and earlier that same day, before 219 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: the game, the spokesman and Epay had sat for a 220 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: ninety minute interview with ESPN. Epay had confessed to it all. 221 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: He'd met the bookie at a card game in twenty 222 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: twenty one. He told the reporter they were introduced by 223 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braves infielder David Fletcher, who had previously played with 224 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: Otani on the Angels. Shortly after he met the bookie, 225 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: Epay told the reporter he started betting on sports, but 226 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: not on baseball, using credit. By the end of twenty 227 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: twenty two, he'd amassed a million dollars in debt and 228 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: was borrowing money from friends and family, but not show Hey. 229 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: I couldn't share this with show Hey, Epay told the reporter. 230 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: It was hard for me to make my ends meet. 231 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: I was going paycheck to paycheck because I kind of 232 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: had to keep up with his lifestyle. But at the 233 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: same time, I didn't want to tell him this. At 234 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: the time, Epay told ESPN he was making about eighty 235 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: five thousand dollars a year. In twenty twenty two, show 236 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: Hay was making five point five million dollars and was 237 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: earning much more than that in endorsements. Most estimates say 238 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: at least forty million dollars each year. Ipe described his 239 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: relationship with Shohey to ESPN as quote brothers, and he 240 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: said that he feared losing Shoh's trust. 241 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 6: Rule twenty one in baseball subsection D Do you know 242 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 6: what that is? 243 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm familiar with it. 244 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball takes betting very seriously. If a Major 245 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: League Baseball player or employee like Hepe is found to 246 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: be betting illegally or betting on baseball in any way, 247 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,239 Speaker 1: they could face a lifetime ban from the sport. 248 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 7: The banishment for life of Pete Rose from baseball is 249 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 7: the sad end of a sorry episode. 250 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: One of the greatest baseball players to ever live, the 251 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: hit King Pete Rose, will never be inducted into the 252 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame because he bet on baseball. Rose knew 253 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: the rule, It's still posted in every Major League clubhouse, 254 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: but he broke it anyway. 255 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 8: So why would you violate it? 256 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 11: Well, I wish I could answer that question, but I 257 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 11: just can't. 258 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 9: I was wrong I'm just stupid. 259 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 11: The worst thing I ever did. 260 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 9: In my life. 261 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: This is the man who said I'd walk through hell 262 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: in a gasoline suit to play baseball. Illegal gambling operations 263 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: are notoriously predatory. They offer credit in part because a 264 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: gambling addiction will drive you to make wildly irresponsible decisions. 265 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: This is why the IRS is currently investigating Matthew Boyer, 266 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: the bookmaker in Orange County Epe was using. So why 267 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: would Ipe hide this from Shohay? Did he feel he 268 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: was protecting his friend? Did he know he was endangering 269 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:54,119 Speaker 1: both their careers? Did he feel somehow that his gambling 270 00:16:54,400 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 1: violated the terms of their relationship? Ebe told ESPN he 271 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: didn't bet on baseball and that he didn't know the 272 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: bookie he was using was illegal when he first started 273 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: using him, But he kept his gambling a secret from 274 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: show Hay nonetheless for years, while racking up more and 275 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: more debt, Things got worse. By early twenty twenty three, 276 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: Epe's debt was four million dollars. He told ESPN he 277 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: feared for his safety and that somebody might come to 278 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: his house. This is when, according to Epe's original interview 279 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 1: with ESPN, he finally went to Otani for help. I 280 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: explain my situation, He says. Obviously he wasn't happy about it, 281 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:51,199 Speaker 1: but he said he would help me. Ibe described a 282 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: scene in which he and show Hay together logged into 283 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: sho Hay's bank account on show Hay's computer and sent 284 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: a handful of trans actions, each at five hundred thousand 285 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 1: dollars over the course of several months to pay off 286 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 1: Matthew Boyer, the bookie in Orange County, and by the 287 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: time of Epe's interview on opening day in Korea, ESPN 288 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: had seen two of those wire transfers, both with Shohy's 289 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: name on them. Ebe said, show Hey quote didn't have 290 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: a clue that the person he was paying back was 291 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: a bookie. I just told him I need to send 292 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: a wire to pay off the debt. When asked if 293 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: he thought he was putting himself or show Hay at 294 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 1: risk by asking to pay it off, Ebe said, I 295 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 1: don't think either of us thought about that at the 296 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: time at all. Ipe described the guilty felt after asking 297 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: for show Hay's help. It was hard to see him. 298 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: He said, he's a great guy, and Ipe told ESPN 299 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: that Shohy has never gambled end quote. Thinks gambling is terrible. 300 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: That's what Epe told an ESPN reporter in the presence 301 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 1: of a crisis communications spokesperson who was hired by Sho 302 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: Hayes agent Nez Bilelo, who Ipe had also been going 303 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: back and forth with about this, in addition to other 304 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 1: unnamed representatives of Sho Hayes and apparently possibly top Dodgers 305 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: executives in the days leading up to the first game 306 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: of the season in Seoul, South Korea. 307 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 6: Under here's Freddie Freeman off Gozotani and he's got that 308 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 6: fix stolen easily twenty three bags last year. 309 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: And you'd imagine this is what was on his mind 310 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: for most of the ball game, knowing he'd have to 311 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: confess to the entire team after the last out, and 312 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: on top of everything else, ESPN reported Rob Manfred, the 313 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 1: Commissioner of Baseball, who was in Seoul to see show 314 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: Hayes debut, had been alerted to the situation. 315 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 3: Here's Otani with two on and one slights. The first pitch, 316 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 3: pitch it alnut centerfield. Get that's a base h Here's 317 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 3: what's coming around there. He'll score standing it is five anyways, show. 318 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: Hey, show hey. He was having a really good debut. 319 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: The Dodgers have held away from me. 320 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 6: He started to show hey, looks on here. 321 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: With two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, 322 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 1: the cameras cut to show Hay as he walks through 323 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: the dugout. He sidles up to Epay and he says 324 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 1: something to him. Ipe, who is talking to somebody else 325 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: off camera, turns to show Hay and smiles and says yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 326 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: yeah yeah. And then the game ends. 327 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 3: And the Dodgers win the first game. 328 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 1: Up twenty twenty four. They are one hand ah after. 329 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 3: This victory, here is a night win. 330 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: That moment in the dugout in the ninth inning is 331 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: the last time we'll see them on camera together. Maybe Ever, 332 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:59,160 Speaker 1: what was Showy saying? What was Epe think you? Moments 333 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: later in the clubhouse behind closed doors, it's time for 334 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: EPA to confess. According to ESPN, In addition to the 335 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: entire team, the meeting is attended by Dodgers owner Mark 336 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: Walter and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, 337 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: who led the effort to sign Otanmy to the Dodgers 338 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: in the offseason. 339 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 8: We were getting ready to publish our story. 340 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: This is Tisha Thompson, the reporter who led the investigation 341 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:28,360 Speaker 1: for ESPN. 342 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 8: There was a meeting right after the game was over 343 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 8: in South Korea and MS Harr gets up again based 344 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 8: on what I've been told, says something to the effect 345 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 8: of I'm sorry, I apologize. I have a gambling problem. 346 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 8: Another player says, so what, so what? 347 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: You might have noticed that gambling is on the rise 348 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,120 Speaker 1: in the United States. Just five years ago, a Supreme 349 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: Court ruling effectively legalized commercial sports betting in the US, 350 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: and gambling is now legal in thirty eight states. One 351 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: in five Americans bet on sports in twenty twenty two, 352 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: according to Pew Research, and we bet one hundred and 353 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: twenty billion dollars on sports last year according to S 354 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: and P Global. This change is creating a paradox for 355 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball, which within months of that Supreme Court 356 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: ruling had partnered with DraftKings, MGM and fan duel. Betting 357 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: is a cardinal sin in baseball. It can get you 358 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: banned for life, the equivalent of excommunication from the Church 359 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 1: of baseball. But also betting is everywhere in baseball. I 360 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: listened to more baseball podcasts than I listened to any 361 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: other kind of podcast, and they are filled with ads 362 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: for betting sites and apps. And Major League Baseball does 363 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: not have a rule against its players and employees betting 364 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,719 Speaker 1: on other sports legally. The point is to hear that 365 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: somebody is betting on sports in a baseball clubhouse might 366 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: not come as much of a surprise to a player, 367 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 1: So what, Well, it's not legal to bet on sports 368 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: of any kind in the state of California, and illegal 369 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: gambling operations are illegal for an MLB player or employee. 370 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: The only thing worse than betting on baseball would be 371 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: betting on baseball illegally, and you get the double whemy 372 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: of both the federal crime and the most severe rule 373 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: violation possible. Whether he knows all this or not, at 374 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: the moment, Epe was standing in that clubhouse before all 375 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: the Dodgers and team officials and his best d Showhey, 376 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: he knows the reporters have seen two wire transfers, each 377 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: totaling five hundred thousand dollars sent to an illegal bookie 378 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: in southern California to pay off his illegal gambler's debt, 379 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 1: and he knows that those transfers have Shohe Otani's name 380 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: on them. 381 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 8: Another player says, so what, and that is when the 382 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 8: president of the Dodger says, well, Otani paid off the debts. 383 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: According to ESPN's source, a Dodger's official who was in 384 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: the room that night, Andrew Friedman, stands up in front 385 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: of the room, including all the players, and tells them 386 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: that sho He helped Ipe pay off his debts, which 387 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: is the same thing that I said in his interview 388 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: with ESPN earlier that day, but it is something that 389 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: is never said again. After this point, the story changes 390 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 1: because this is where sho He takes over. 391 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,959 Speaker 9: So during the team meeting, obviously was speaking English and 392 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 9: I didn't have a translator on my side, but even 393 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 9: with that, I kind of understood what was going on 394 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 9: and started to feel that there was something amiss. And 395 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 9: so up until that team meeting, I didn't know that 396 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,439 Speaker 9: I had a gambling addiction and was in debt. The 397 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 9: just prior to the meeting, I was told by Hey, 398 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 9: let's talk one to one in the hotel after the meeting, 399 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 9: so I waited until then. 400 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 8: He's not human in English, everyone says that, but he 401 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,360 Speaker 8: has an enough understanding of English. According to the sources 402 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 8: we talked to yesterday to start to say wyat. 403 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: Then there is a ride back to the hotel, maybe 404 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: the two road together. We don't know. Imagine you're the 405 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: most famous baseball player on the planet. Even in your 406 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 1: big life filled with travel, attention, and pressure, this week 407 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: has been a doozy. You flew to Korea with your 408 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: new wife to play your first ever game as a Dodger, 409 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: and your sleep'spin a little off. But you did it. 410 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: You had a good game, a hit, an RBI, a 411 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: stolen base, and the Dodgers won. Time to get back 412 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: to the hotel, log some good sleep, get up, and 413 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: do it all over again the next day. But now 414 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 1: this According to ESPN, the clubhouse meeting took place at 415 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:04,399 Speaker 1: eleven pm Soul Time, sometime over the next hour and 416 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: a half, Ipe and show Hey meet one on one 417 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: at the Fairmont Ambassador Hotel and Seoul, a skyscraper with 418 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: views of the Han River. How many times before had 419 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: these brothers sat in rooms just like this, late at night, 420 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:28,919 Speaker 1: an unfamiliar place alone. It is the look in his eyes, 421 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: the tone of his voice, that thing he does with 422 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: his hands, and you. 423 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 5: Know, and finally, when we went back to the hotel 424 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:48,640 Speaker 5: and talked one to one. 425 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 1: That was when I found out that he had a 426 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: master's state. 427 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 9: Need things and it was revealed to me during that 428 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 9: meaning that he he paid admitted that he was sending 429 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 9: money using my account to the bookmaker. And obviously I 430 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 9: did not never agreed to pay off the debt or 431 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 9: you know, make payments to be a bookmaker. 432 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: Otani's representatives had continued to rely on Mizuhara to communicate 433 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: with Otani while they were dealing with the situation, according 434 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 1: to ESPN, and Mizuhara did not tell Otani what was happening. 435 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: According to Otani, media outlets began asking questions about the 436 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:42,719 Speaker 1: wire transfer his last week, but Mizuhara never relayed those messages. 437 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: That's from the Athletic. 438 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 9: So all of this has been a complete line line line. 439 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: Nez Bilela, the crisis communications spokesperson, Top Dodgers executives, Tisha 440 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: Thompson from ESPN, all these people were working off of 441 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: the same story. Ipe's story. Up until this point, Ibe 442 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: had been lying to everybody. If you believe Shoho Tani 443 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 1: and the reports that people kept using Ipe as an 444 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: interpreter even as this was going on, which would also 445 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: mean nobody had spoken to show Hey directly about this 446 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: at all. 447 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 9: And at that moment, obviously I was it was an 448 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 9: absurd thing that was happening, and I've contacted my representatives 449 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 9: at that point. 450 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: And according to show Hey, it was him who had 451 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: to get in touch with everybody else that had already 452 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: been involved for the past forty eight hours to let 453 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: them know what's going on next us. 454 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 9: When I was finally able to talk to my representatives, 455 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 9: that's when my representatives found out that has been lying 456 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 9: the whole time, and that's when I started contacting the 457 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 9: Dodgers and my lawyers, and the Dodgers and the lawyers 458 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 9: at that moment found out also as well that they 459 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 9: have been lied too. 460 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: Twelve thirty am soul Time, the crisis spokesman hired by 461 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: Otani's agent tells ESPN to hold their story that all 462 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: communication between Otani and his agent had gone through Mizuhara. 463 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: Two fifteen am soul Time, the Otani spokesman says, quote, 464 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: Mizuhara is despondent and needs to explain his situation to 465 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: his family, and says that attorneys are preparing a statement. 466 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: Three am Otani's lawyers issue a statement to ESPN. They 467 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: say that shohe has been the victim of massive theft. 468 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: Three thirty am, the Dodgers fire or Epe four fifty 469 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: five am, less than an hour before sunrise, and soul 470 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 1: Epe gets on the phone with ESPN. He says he 471 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: had lied in his previous interview and walks back much 472 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: of his story. He tells ESPN Otani had no knowledge 473 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: of his gambling activities, debts, or efforts to repay them. Quote, 474 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: Obviously this is all my fault, everything I've done. I'm 475 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 1: ready to face all the consequences. When did Otani become 476 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: aware of the situation, ESPN asks they told me. I 477 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: can't answer anything, he says Otani's representatives are they representing you? 478 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 5: No? 479 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: He says, Are you taking any form of payment to 480 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: tell me these things? 481 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 7: No? 482 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: He says, have you made any kind of agreement to 483 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: say these things? 484 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 2: No? 485 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: He says, You're doing this of your own volition and 486 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: free will. Yes. Did you bet on baseball? 487 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 9: No? 488 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 1: Did you lie to show Hey? Yes. In a final 489 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: conversation with ESPN, the spokesman says that EPA has been 490 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 1: controlling information to show Hey using his position as the interpreter. 491 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: And as for show Hey quote, he didn't know what 492 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: the fuck was going on by the time the ESPN 493 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: story actually comes out. It's the story of two stories. 494 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: What EPA said in his interview initially that Showey helped 495 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: him pay off his debts, and the correction of that, 496 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: which everybody, including Epay himself, immediately aligned on after that 497 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: one on one meeting with show Hay in the hotel 498 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: that night. This is wild, and it paints a very 499 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: strange portrait of what it's like to be this famous, important, 500 00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: rich and Japanese in a Major League baseball club house. 501 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: It's the highest pressure moment imaginable opening day show Hayes's 502 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: first game as a Dodger after signing a contract for 503 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: seven hundred million dollars, and it's in South Korea. Everybody 504 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: knows this negative story is coming, and they know that 505 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: the debt is in the millions of dollars, and they 506 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: know per Epay that the debt is Epe's and that 507 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: show Hay's name is on the wires. So this guy's 508 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: mixed up in illegal gambling and he's gotten their star 509 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: player involved, and still everybody is going through Epay to 510 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:36,320 Speaker 1: talk to show Hey about this. I mean, I know 511 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: he's busy getting ready for the first game of the 512 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,720 Speaker 1: season and he likes to sleep, but still, and somehow 513 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: Andrew Friedman, the Dodger's president of baseball Operations, the guy 514 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: who runs the business side of things, he knows about 515 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,600 Speaker 1: Epay's lie and doesn't even know that it's a lie 516 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: before show Hey hears about it, and he announces it 517 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: to the entire team, and show Hey is there trying 518 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: to follow all the English and thinking what is he 519 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: saying what? Because somehow he's the last to know. And 520 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: I want to reiterate that this is all based on 521 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: things other people have reported and said, so nothing is 522 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: certain here and we will see what the investigations proved 523 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: to be true. But this order of events that show 524 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: Hay would be the last to know of the lie 525 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 1: and the one to expose it is the craziest part 526 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: of all of this, and it's pretty devastating, and it 527 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:35,320 Speaker 1: definitely could be true because that's the power that IBE 528 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: had as show Hay's interpreter and as somebody that Showhey trusted. 529 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 2: The story that they're painting right now is basically a like, uh, Ridley. 530 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 1: What's that movie, talented, mister Ripley. It's Tom Tom Ripley, 531 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: Tom Ripley. We were at Princeton together. 532 00:34:58,040 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 9: Okay. 533 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: In the weeks since this story broke, The Athletic reported 534 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: that Ebe had inaccuracies in a public biography he used 535 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,279 Speaker 1: well Employed by the Angels, which stated that Ipe graduated 536 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 1: from the University of California at Riverside, but, as first 537 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,840 Speaker 1: reported in NBC, the university found no record of his attendance. 538 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: The biography also said that Epe worked for the New 539 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 1: York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Athletic found 540 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: reason to question the Yankees job, and the Red Sox 541 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: released a very firm statement insisting that Epe never worked 542 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:32,760 Speaker 1: for the team. 543 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 11: Llween and Annabel we are just outside the Gate community 544 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 11: where Matthew Boyer lives. This is also where back in October, 545 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 11: federal agents raided his home. 546 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 1: David Fletcher, the braves infielder who Epe told ESPN introduced 547 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 1: him to Matthew Boyer. The book At a Card Game, 548 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 1: also disputes what Epe said. Fletcher says that he was 549 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 1: at the game, but that he didn't introduce them. 550 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,520 Speaker 11: Diane Bass says she began representing Boyer after that October 551 00:35:58,600 --> 00:35:59,439 Speaker 11: federal raid. 552 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 10: The most important thing that I want people to know 553 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,759 Speaker 10: is that mister Boyard never met shohe A Tani, never 554 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 10: spoke with Shoheo Tani. The only person he dealt with 555 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 10: was Epay. 556 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 1: There's much more to this story to be sure. If 557 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: Ipe really did it, how did he have access to 558 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,800 Speaker 1: the accounts, the passwords? Why didn't anybody notice the money 559 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:27,399 Speaker 1: was missing? Could epe have been betting on baseball? After all? 560 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: Was he telling lies about show Hay In the narrative 561 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,760 Speaker 1: of the talented mister Epey? Show Hay did nothing wrong? 562 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: But could he be found to have known something about 563 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:43,360 Speaker 1: this or worse? Certainly? So, where do things stand? The 564 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: La Times ran a story about how show Hay was 565 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: not a target in the federal investigation and that the 566 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,240 Speaker 1: feds quote wanted the bookies, not the betters. It seems 567 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 1: like the feds have bigger fish to fry, and that 568 00:36:55,719 --> 00:37:00,359 Speaker 1: they're not really interested in show Hay or Epays. Major 569 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has come out and said 570 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,360 Speaker 1: that he hopes that the MLB investigation will take a 571 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: quote short time Baseball mostly seems interested in simply verifying 572 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,439 Speaker 1: the story that shohe has put out there. The last 573 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 1: time Major League Baseball penalized a player for gambling, it 574 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:22,239 Speaker 1: was Jared Cosart in twenty fifteen. Cosart received an undisclosed 575 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,400 Speaker 1: fine from Major League Baseball for betting on other sports. 576 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,360 Speaker 1: And that was before the Supreme Court ruling that effectively 577 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 1: legalized sports betting in most states. So we'll see what 578 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,520 Speaker 1: happens with all that, and we'll keep you posted here. 579 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:46,319 Speaker 1: And in the meantime, there's baseball and friends. Baseball sure 580 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,919 Speaker 1: can be funny. I mean, who could have guessed this 581 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 1: is how we'd start this season? And I got a 582 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: feeling that this season has a few more unexpected twists 583 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 1: in store for us. Sure hope you'll join us for 584 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:17,759 Speaker 1: the ride here on Dodger Blue Dream hang Out. We'll 585 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:19,319 Speaker 1: do the credits now. 586 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:21,840 Speaker 7: Vance please per days fansy for the Singing Hard National 587 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 7: Land Company by Dodger Say MORGANI is Theeter. 588 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 1: Bro Please Walker, lifelong Dodger. 589 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:40,280 Speaker 7: Fan and multi platinum recording artist Josh Groband. 590 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: By Dodger Blue Dream is written and produced by me 591 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:57,800 Speaker 1: Richard Parks. Today's episode was story edited by Caitlin Esh 592 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:03,000 Speaker 1: with production assistance from Angel cut at Us. Original music 593 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,480 Speaker 1: in this episode by William Ryan Fritch and by me. 594 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,000 Speaker 1: This episode is a digest of things that I've read. 595 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: All the original reporting was done by ESPN and also 596 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Times, The Athletic, NBC and other outlets. 597 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: We'll try to link to some of the pieces in 598 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:39,959 Speaker 1: the show notes. If you like the show, please share 599 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 1: it with a friend, post it to social media, and 600 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 1: leave us a review. I'd love to hear from you 601 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: in a review with a question or a thought about 602 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,560 Speaker 1: the show, so we can tweak the approach as the 603 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:54,520 Speaker 1: season goes on. Thanks for listening. We'll see you next 604 00:39:54,560 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: time to tell the 605 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:22,640 Speaker 7: Total of the time