Quote from fenn68 on March 21, 2024, 4:21 am

Quote from sportwarrior on March 21, 2024, 12:40 am

Lorenzen signed to a 4.5m/1yr deal with the Rangers. 2.5m in incentives.

The market has definitely snapped. I feel bad for these "blue collar" type players like Duvall and Taylor and Lorenzen. They're not getting paid much at all.

Lorenzen’s numbers surprise me more than any of the hitters … given the need for SP across the league. At the start of the winter most thought  he would get a two year deal north of $10MM per season … so way less than half.

The signings of Lorenzen and Snell well below initial projections along with being this close to the season … does not bode well for Montgomery getting anything close to to projections (and probably even close to Snell).

Pham - Belt - Martinez … if the mood of the market continues there may be the question of them even signing before the season and if they do at a “bargain” $5MM+/-. At this point … assuming the plan to play in 2025 … the may prioritize playing time over that last dollar.

If that is the case, Padres have a shot on any of them fitting into the budget … plus if Machado returns to 3B Padres can clearly give the playing time at DH.

Quote from 3fingersplit on March 21, 2024, 8:15 am

OMG....Othani  has got a huge problem and it's just starting. The Dodgers fire his interpreter for gambling 4.5 million dollars out of Otani's account. The story has changed at least three times so it will be interesting to see what MLB will do....Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe are watching

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 21, 2024, 9:02 am

IMO there is no way he could have transferred $4.5 mil without Ohtani knowing about it.

Bank wouldn’t have allowed it unless he was actually on the account.

So at minimum he’s guilty of transferring that money to a known bookie who is under investigation already.

This could get ugly for him and the dodgers.

 

Quote from fenn68 on March 21, 2024, 9:45 am

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 21, 2024, 9:02 am

IMO there is no way he could have transferred $4.5 mil without Ohtani knowing about it.

Bank wouldn’t have allowed it unless he was actually on the account.

So at minimum he’s guilty of transferring that money to a known bookie who is under investigation already.

This could get ugly for him and the dodgers.

 

A lot to unravel here ... and get a clear report of what happened.

If the early reports have legs ... Ohtani's lifelong friend and interpreter was the gambler (no indication that Ohtani gambled) BUT enter the investigators from the state (where sports betting is illegal) and from MLB where they have their own standards.

I guess most important question is if Ohtani asked his friend to bet on his behalf ... if so, that is a whole different can of worms. Then really a problem for Ohtani.

However, if Ohtani was just doing his lifelong friend a solid by covering his debits ... sets up a different set of questions concerning CA law / MLB rules. Did Ohtani know these were gambling debts ... did Ohtani know the money was being sent to a bookie? Did Ohtani know (or get advised) on CA law? How could Ohtani's friend rack up $4.5MM of gambling debt without the bookie have some expectation of payment .. probably from Ohtani?

Who did what and when? Who knew what and when?

Assuming the most probably scenario is Ohtani was not betting through his friend but knew his friend's debt was for gambling and he was transferring money to a bookie ... no idea where that leaves him with CA law. Illegal wire transfer? Illegal dealing with a bookie in some form? Some one off tax income tax issue for the friend / Ohtani?

MLB plays by different rules ... more strict in theory ... but also more subject to big money influence to keep Ohtani active.

This may take awhile but expect that IF Ohtani is not the actual gambler (direct or through the friend) ... he gets off with a minor fine if anything at all.

Quote from 3fingersplit on March 21, 2024, 10:49 am

The story has changed so many times already that it goes back to the old adage

The cover up is always worse than the crime

Quote from 3fingersplit on March 21, 2024, 10:53 am

Federal investigation always becomes a game of dominoes…first one falls then the second and then someone will cut a deal and out the whole thing.

Othani is screwed anyway you look at it. Federal investigations always trump state law…after the Feds get done then California can go after them and MLB can do whatever they want at this point because it’s their game and they already have a precedent on this dating back to 1919 and the Black Sox Scandal…Kennesaw Mountain Landis made that very clear.

Read rule 21 of MLB Major_League_Rule_21.pdf (mlb.com)

Section D - 1,2,3

If it is proved that Otani did in fact payoff a bookie regardless of who made the bets and if baseball games were involved it could be from a minimum one year suspension to lifetime ban or as the commissioner see fit.

Quote from BoosterSD on March 21, 2024, 10:54 am

Quote from 3fingersplit on March 21, 2024, 10:49 am

The story has changed so many times already that it goes back to the old adage

The cover up is always worse than the crime

I really think this is going to finally boil down to the interpreter placing bets for Ohtani.

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 21, 2024, 1:33 pm

Do we really think Ohtani will face any serious suspension?

 

Quote from fenn68 on March 21, 2024, 5:33 pm

Mets sign JD Martinez for $12MM … out of Padres price range.

Then there were two … Pham and Belt.