New game fixing scandal hits baseball; probe begins

Though the seven-game series is not within the scope of the investigation, at least six Elephants players have been implicated in the case.

Elephants general manager Hung Rei-ho confirmed that searches had been conducted on the dorm rooms or residences of six of the team's players -- pitchers Tsao Chin-hui, Liu Yu-chan, Wu Bau-hsien, Wang Chin-li, Li Hao-jen and catcher Wang Chun-tai. The six players will also report to the prosecutors office for questioning.

Tsao, the first Taiwanese pitcher to ever compete in the U.S. Major Leagues, became particularly agitated at one point over the issue, according to Hung.

In a statement, Tsao insisted that he was clean. He felt that after fighting repeated arm injuries and pressure he was perplexed over being searched and wrongly implicated in the case.

“After playing overseas for nine years, there were still some overseas teams that I could have joined, but I decided to come home, expecting to continue fighting and contributing in front of my family and friends,” Tsao said.

“Little did I expect that after my teammates and I played hard for a full season that I would be summoned for questioning about a controversy I know nothing about. I feel angry and disappointed.”

He wondered in the statement if, after being caught up in allegations that had yet to be substantiated with proof, he had made the right choice to play in Taiwan this year.

Hung, who vowed last year during a similar game-fixing scandal to disband his team if any of his players were involving in gambling and game fixing, said he chose to believe his players' professions of innocence, pending the results of the investigation.

The CPBL also issued a statement expressing regret over the latest probe. It urged prosecutors to wrap up the investigation based on solid evidence as early as possible to avoid further damage to the league and the sport in Taiwan.

The league is still in the process of nurturing itself back to health after a series of scams in recent years.

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