Shoki Kasahara

Shoki Kasahara
Pitcher
Born: (1991-01-09) January 9, 1991 (age 33)
Fukuoka, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
NPB debut
2012, for the Yomiuri Giants
NPB statistics
(through 2015)
Win–loss record7-1
Earned run average4.34
Strikeouts116
Teams

Shoki Kasahara (笠原 将生, Kasahara Shōki) (born January 9, 1991, in Fukuoka) is a Japanese former professional baseball player who played for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from 2012 to 2015. His younger brother Taiga is also a professional baseball player currently playing for Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. His father Eiichi is a former professional baseball player.

In October, 2015, Kasahara was named as a result of an investigation conducted by the Giants into illegal betting on professional and high school baseball games by its players. On 9 November 2015, the Giants organization terminated Kasahara's contract, along with fellow pitchers Satoshi Fukuda and Ryuya Matsumoto.[1] The investigation found that Kasahara introduced the other two players to a graduate school student that facilitated the betting.[2] On 10 November the NPB league commissioner penalized the three players with a World Baseball Softball Confederation-wide suspension, with eligibility for reinstatement after five years if he satisfies the commissioner that he is remorseful for his actions.[3] The disqualification extends to all leagues recognised by the global governing body of baseball, the World Baseball Softball Confederation. Such recognised leagues include MLB (North America), KBO (Korea), CPBL (Taiwan), HH (NED), DHB (Spain), and Serie A Baseball (Italy). The players avoided permanent disqualification because the investigation found no evidence that they were involved in fixing matches.[3]

The Giants were also fined ¥10 million over the incident and the team's representative at the NPB, Atsushi Harasawa, resigned to take responsibility.[2]

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References

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  1. ^ "巨人が野球賭博関与の福田聡志や松本竜也ら3選手と契約解除へ" [Giants to terminate 3 players including Satoshi Fukuda and Ryuya Matsumoto for gambling on baseball]. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Giants pitchers to be banned from baseball for betting on games". Japan Times. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b "【巨人】福田、笠原、松本竜に無期失格処分 事情聴取で事実関係認める" [Giants' Fukuda, Kasahara, Matusmoto disqualified indefinitely, made admissions at hearing] (in Japanese). 11 November 2015. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.