# MLB Hotstove, or the 2024 Ohtani sweepstakes **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [November 2, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492 "2023-11-02T17:48:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/261 "2024-03-24T09:39:47Z")
Ohtani’s ex-interpreter majorly lied about his background. He never went to college like he claimed nor did he work for the Red Sox in any capacity. Shit is getting crazy. > **[Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal: Major holes poked in Ippei Mizuhara's...](https://sports.yahoo.com/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-scandal-major-holes-poked-in-ippei-mizuharas-pre-ohtani-resume-034602251.html)** > > Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers earlier this week. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/262 "2024-03-24T13:58:19Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Ohtani’s ex-interpreter majorly lied about his background. He never went to college like he claimed nor did he work for the Red Sox in any capacity. Shit is getting crazy. > > [Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal: Major holes poked in Ippei Mizuhara's pre-Ohtani résumé - Yahoo Sports](https://www.yahoo.com/sports/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-scandal-major-holes-poked-in-ippei-mizuharas-pre-ohtani-resume-034602251.html) Did he know how to speak Japanese? That’s better than some of the phony sign language interpreters that have been caught. ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/263 "2024-03-24T14:31:04Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Didn’t he stand up for the players and their union a couple of times, arrayed against absolutely all of the other owners? Or am I mixing him up with some other Orioles owner, or somebody else? > > Something about refusing to use replacement players, maybe? > > My memory is foggy. Angelos said during the players’ strike of 1994-95 that he wouldn’t field a team of replacement players and risk ending Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive games streak just 121 games shy of the record. Articles from the time were unsure how baseball’s record-keepers would have handled that mess if it had happened: > **[For the record, Ripken’s streak has the record-keepers on edge](https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/03/12/for-the-record-ripkens-streak-has-the-record-keepers-on-edge/)** > > ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Craig Carter, statistical editor for The Sporting News, doesn’t care to decide the fate of Cal Ripken’s consecutive-games streak. “I don’t want … ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/264 "2024-03-24T14:44:40Z")
> [@journeyman\_southpaw](#): > > > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > > > Didn’t he stand up for the players and their union a couple of times, arrayed against absolutely all of the other owners? Or am I mixing him up with some other Orioles owner, or somebody else? > > > > Something about refusing to use replacement players, maybe? > > > > My memory is foggy. > > Angelos said during the players’ strike of 1994-95 that he wouldn’t field a team of replacement players and risk ending Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive games streak just 121 games shy of the record. Articles from the time were unsure how baseball’s record-keepers would have handled that mess if it had happened: > [For the record, Ripken’s streak has the record-keepers on edge – Baltimore Sun](https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/03/12/for-the-record-ripkens-streak-has-the-record-keepers-on-edge/) Right. There never were replacement players in baseball. I don’t know if Angelos’ stance had anything to do with that. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/265 "2024-03-24T14:49:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Right. There never were replacement players in baseball. I don’t know if Angelos’ stance had anything to do with that. In Spring Training there were and Shane Spencer among them. But not in the regular season at least. Minor note: In 1912 there was a strike and replacement players actually played. ETA: [It was only Detroit and appears to have been a single game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912_Detroit_Tigers_season#Regular_season). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/266 "2024-03-24T17:09:02Z")
MLB to open next season in Japan for Cubs Vs Dodgers. Interesting timing of the announcement as this could have easily been postponed. > **[Cubs to open 2025 MLB season in Japan, insider reports](https://nbcsportschicago.app.link/QMMiWKgqeIb)** > > The Chicago Cubs will have to pack their bags for a long flight ahead of their season opener in 2025, according to a new report. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/267 "2024-03-24T17:35:25Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Ohtani’s ex-interpreter majorly lied about his background. He never went to college like he claimed nor did he work for the Red Sox in any capacity. Shit is getting crazy Mizuhara is essentially the George Santos of baseball, it would appear. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/268 "2024-03-24T17:36:24Z")
I almost made the same comparison. I bet there’s more to come. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/269 "2024-03-24T17:40:42Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > Mizuhara is essentially the George Santos of baseball, it would appear. Next revelation: Mizuhara wasn’t even Mizuhara all along! _Rips off mask to reveal Santos underneath_ > [@dalej42](#): > > MLB to open next season in Japan for Cubs Vs Dodgers. How awkward would it be if Ohtani ended up being suspended for the 2025 season for his role in wiring money to an illegal bookie, and the Japanese fans don’t get to see their hometown hero? As Ohtani is practically the face of baseball right now, I predict Rob Manfred and Ohtani’s lawyers will negotiate his punishment down to a moderate fine, with no suspension, “totally cool what happened, nothing to see here, move along …” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/270 "2024-03-24T17:43:53Z")
> [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](#): > > As Ohtani is practically the face of baseball right now, I predict Rob Manfred and Ohtani’s lawyers will negotiate his punishment down to a moderate fine, with no suspension, “totally cool what happened, nothing to see here, move along …” “At least he was using FanDuel, the Official Sports Betting Partner of MLB.” (I am still boggled that this is [now actually a thing](https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-mlb-names-fanduel-a-new-official-sports-betting-partner-in-north-a).) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/271 "2024-03-24T18:05:29Z")
> [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](#): > > As Ohtani is practically the face of baseball right now, I predict Rob Manfred and Ohtani’s lawyers will negotiate his punishment down to a moderate fine, with no suspension, “totally cool what happened, nothing to see here, move along …” The one thing I keep thinking of is the question of is did Ohtani violate anti money laundering rules? Much easier to cover up someone with a huge gambling addiction like Michael Jordan versus this odd story with huge sums of money sent across international borders ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/272 "2024-03-27T19:06:16Z")
In other news, basically just a formality, but David Rubenstein officially approved as Orioles owner. > **[MLB approves Rubenstein as new Orioles owner](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39820434/david-rubenstein-unanimously-approved-new-orioles-owner)** > > Major League Baseball's owners have unanimously approved private-equity billionaire David Rubenstein as the new owner of the Baltimore Orioles. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/273 "2024-03-27T23:27:21Z")
Maybe the last deal before the season, Yankees trade Ben Rortvedt and get infield help. They were carrying three catchers and are dealing with some injuries so it’s not surprising. > **[Yankees acquire Jon Berti in three-team trade, Ben Rortvedt dealt to Tampa](https://www.pinstripealley.com/2024/3/27/24113732/yankees-mlb-trade-news-opening-day-rays-marlins-berti-rortvedt-wells-trevino)** > > A three-team deal broke on Opening Day Eve between New York and the two Florida teams. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/274 "2024-03-28T02:22:50Z")
And Jordan Montgomery’s off-season from Hell is finally over with a 1-year $25MM contract with the D-Backs. A very disappointing winter for superagent Scott Boras ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/275 "2024-04-06T08:11:52Z")
did he spend some money on the team? I’ve heard they’ve needed it for a long time … and possibly a new stadium ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/276 "2024-04-06T13:32:15Z")
Not yet. I assume there are still complex legal formalities occurring out of public view. I’m not certain the money has even actually changed hands yet. I do know he’s bought a round for everyone at Pickle’s Pub on Eutaw Street at least once. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492.md?page=13)