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3/27/2024 |  The Orioles’ Rubenstein Era at Last Begins, and With Ripken Back in Fold (Front Office Sports)

A new era for the Orioles is officially underway, and it will now include franchise icon and Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (above) in a much larger way. 

MLB owners unanimously approved Wednesday thepurchase of the team by billionaire private equity executive David Rubenstein, valuing the team and related assets at $1.725 billion. The formal assent arrived four days after the death of former team owner Peter Angelos, who leaves an impactful and complex legacy on both the franchise and Baltimore overall. 

Rubenstein arrives with big expectations, taking over a team in the midst of a large-scale renaissanceon and off the field, and he has several large-scale goals for the Orioles, including potentially reaching a fundamental resolution of the long-running Mid-Atlantic Sports Network dispute with the Nationals. 

“John [Angelos, Peter’s son and former team chair] led a dramatic overhaul of the team’s management, roster, recruitment strategy, and farm system in recent years,” said Rubenstein, who continuedWednesday what has already been a more public profile than much of the Angelos era. “Our job is to build on these accomplishments to advance a world-class professional sports agenda—with eyes on returning a World Series trophy to Baltimore.”

Rubenstein and his partners are acquiring 40% of the team and operational control now, with a plan in place to purchase an additional 30% from the Angelos family over time.

Return of the Iron Man

 

The agreement also includes the formal return of Ripken to the franchise, as he is part of Rubenstein’s ownership group. Since the former star infielder’s retirement in 2001, he has been more tangentially tied to the Orioles, primarily through ownership of a minor league affiliate in Aberdeen, Md. Ripken showed interest at various points in a larger, renewed relationship with the team, but it never happened during the Angelos era, and in recent years he maintained a certain distance from the Orioles. 

Now, Ripken is set to participate in the first pitch ceremony at Thursday’s season opener at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, marking a very public start to his new tenure as team co-owner.

3/25/2024 |  Shohei Ohtani to speak to media for 1st time since theft allegations against interpreter (Fox Sports) Shohei Ohtani plans to speak to the media Monday for the first time since the illegal gambling and theft allegations involving the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his interpreter emerged during the team's trip to South Korea.
3/21/2024 |  Who is Ippei Mizuhara? Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was fired over gambling allegations (Associated Press (AP)) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers after allegations he stole money from baseball star Shohei Ohtani to service illegal gambling debts.
But who is Mizuhara and how did he get in a position to carry out the alleged theft from his close friend?
3/21/2024 |  In Japan, Ohtani’s ‘perfect person’ image could take a hit with firing of interpreter over gambling (Associated Press (AP)) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is referred to in Japan as “kanpeki no hito” — the perfect person — because of his manners and impeccable behavior.
That image may have taken a hit when the Dodgers fired his good friend and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara on Wednesday over allegations he gambled illegally and stole Ohtani’s money to pay off debts.
The law firm representing Ohtani called it a “massive theft” in a statement.
3/21/2024 |  Dodgers fire Shohei Ohtani's interpreter for alleged theft of player's funds (AXIOS Sports) The Dodgers fired Shohei Ohtani's interpreter Wednesday following allegations of "massive theft."
Why it matters: Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter who has been alongside Ohtani since his Major League Baseball debut in 2018, is accused of using funds from the two-way player's bank account to cover gambling debts incurred with an illegal bookmaker.
  • The wire transfers allegedly totaled at least $4.5 million, according to ESPN. 

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