Interesting piece on a Taiwan team that was threatend by the owners to fix games becasue they were in cahoots with a gambling ring. Here is an article on the IBAF website:
CPBL cancelling all remaining T-REX games
Responding to the on-going investigation by the Taipei District Court on the matter of possible game fixing scandal related to dmedia T-REX Baseball Club, CPBL announced this afternoon that it suspends all rights of dmedia T-REX from participating all matters with CPBL, including the remaining two games of the 2008 season.
The Taipei District Court stormed the office and dormitories of dmedia T-REX yesterday (October 8th) and questioned T-REX owner, special assistant to the owner, coaches, players, gang members and bookies. According to the information provided by the District Court, the management of dmedia T-REX may have cooperated with the syndicated crime members in bringing profit from underground illegal gambling on baseball.
The special assistant to the owner and a coach were taken into custody after the questioning session. Cory Bailey (U.S.) and two other local players were released on bail. According to the in-house regulation of CPBL, personnel being taken into custody will be released immediately, and those who was released on bail will be suspended indefinitely.
dmedia T-REXs record for the 2008 season is 37-60-1. The T-REX ranked 4th in the first half season and 6th (last) in the second half.
No wonder all the Taiwan players prefer to play in Japan or the United States. A U.S. player involved? So much for his career, even if he was coerced.
I wonder if Angelos has ever made a bet on the Orioles?
In the scandal that involves Taiwan and the one team that was owned by gamblers, the league questioned 5 foreign players about their gambling connections. Two of those foreign players were ex-Bay Sox Napolean Calzado and Jose Leon.
It seems pitchers were paid $8,000 to throw games while hitters were paid $5,000. The Taiwan hitters and pitchers were paid more, $6,500 if you were a hitter and $9,700 if you were a pitcher.
These players were only being questioned, so there has been no guilt or innocence established yet. But I hate to see the Bowie players implicated in the gambling scheme.