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Minor leaguer: It was a 'one-time incident'

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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Updated: January 28, 8:14 AM ET
Minor leaguer: It was a 'one-time incident'

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Associated Press

CLEVELAND -- Indians minor league pitcher Kazuhito Tadano is asking for forgiveness for what he called a one-time mistake -- his appearance in a gay porn video in which he engaged in a homosexual act.

Tadano took part in the video three years ago when he was a college student. Sitting in Cleveland's clubhouse Tuesday, he said he hoped to put his actions in the past.

"All of us have made mistakes in our lives," Tadano said, reading a statement in English. "Hopefully, you learn from them and move on."

Shunned by Japanese baseball teams, the 23-year-old Tadano signed with the Indians last March. They think he can make their club this spring.

Tadano gave few details about the video, which he made after his sophomore year at Rikkyo University.

"I did participate in a video and I regret it very much," he said. "It was a one-time incident that showed bad judgment and will never be repeated. I was young, playing baseball, and going to college and my teammates and I needed money.

"Frankly, if I were more mature and had really thought about the implications of what I did, it never would have happened."

Through an interpreter, Tadano added: "I'm not gay. I'd like to clear that fact up right now."

The Indians set up the media session after getting many requests from reporters to speak with Tadano. The team wanted to address the issue before spring training starts next month.

Tadano's admission will certainly draw attention to homosexuality in baseball, a sensitive issue that most players prefer to not even discuss.

There are no openly gay players in the big leagues today. The same is true in the NFL, NHL and NBA.

Tadano was one of Japan's top college pitchers and expected to be a high first-round pick in 2002. But after a Japanese tabloid published photos of him in the video a month before the draft, pro teams in Japan did not select him.

"The commissioner of Japanese baseball came out and said, 'You will not draft Tadano,' " asserted the pitcher's agent, Alan Nero. "But this kid didn't assault anybody. He didn't commit murder. If anything, he is guilty of being naive."

Twice in the minor leagues last season, Tadano stood before his teammates and confessed to his participation in the video, which Nero said can only be obtained on the black market in Japan.

Tadano received overwhelming support from players at Kinston, N.C., where he started the season, and later at Akron, the Indians' Double-A affiliate.

"I wanted to tell the truth to my teammates," he said.

A former starter, he pitched in all three levels of the minors last season, going 6-2 with a 1.55 ERA and three saves. At Akron, he didn't allow a run in his first 28 innings and struck out 78 in 72 2/3 innings.

Outfielder Grady Sizemore said Tadano's speech last year was well-received in the clubhouse.

"You could tell he was nervous," said Sizemore, a top prospect who lived with Tadano this winter. "But I don't think it changed anybody's opinion of him. After it was said and done, nobody thought anything more of it. He's a great guy and a great pitcher."

If he pitches well during spring training, Tadano could win a spot in Cleveland's bullpen. Whenever he joins the Indians, pitcher C.C. Sabathia says Tadano will be welcomed.

"This is the right team and the right organization for him," Sabathia said. "We have good guys here. Everybody has done something that they regret in their lives. He's a person just like everyone else."

Tadano tried out for several major league teams last spring in Arizona. Coming off an elbow injury, he didn't get any offers. Nero said some teams were turned off by what he called "the scandal."

"He didn't pitch well enough for them to ignore it," Nero said. "I also think they were afraid of the baggage that would come with it."

Not the Indians. They liked Tadano enough to invite him to work out at their spring training facility in Winter Haven, Fla. Eventually, they signed him to a minor league contract that included a $67,500 bonus.

General manager Mark Shapiro said the team decided to sign Tadano despite knowing there could be backlash.

"We thought the upside was well worth the risk, energy and time to support him," Shapiro said.

Tadano knows he may face fan abuse in major league parks such as Yankee Stadium, where heckling the visitors is part of the pageantry.

He joked that he's ready for it.

"I don't understand English, so it doesn't really matter," he said.

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Truly one has to have some internal morals and ethics. IMHO the people who have these sex tapes actually published and bootlegged, don't deserve the noteriety. We now adore those that have "questionable" morals and ethics. Our societal memories are quite short.

His statement would end this situation for others if they just thought.

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"Frankly, if I were more mature and had really thought about the implications of what I did, it never would have happened."

So...what's the big deal? Just because someone's gay and playing in a major league doesn't mean its a bad thing. Sure it might make other Major League players nervous but I mean comon, how is it that celebrities and sport stars' sexual preference is a big deal? Or even what they've done in the past?

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Originally posted by feelgood
So...what's the big deal? Just because someone's gay and playing in a major league doesn't mean its a bad thing. Sure it might make other Major League players nervous but I mean comon, how is it that celebrities and sport stars' sexual preference is a big deal? Or even what they've done in the past?

The big deal is that America and it's sports are macho..very macho. This threatens the machismo. I dont really care what they do off the field or court, it is their business. But the big deal is America grasping this..it may be a bit hard.
Would we hate Kornikova is she did girl on girl? Dont think so.

So did he pitch or catch in the video? :lol: :lol:

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did you read?

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"I did participate in a video and I regret it very much," he said. "It was a one-time incident that showed bad judgment and will never be repeated. I was young, playing baseball, and going to college and my teammates and I needed money.

"Frankly, if I were more mature and had really thought about the implications of what I did, it never would have happened."

Through an interpreter, Tadano added: "I'm not gay. I'd like to clear that fact up right now."

He clearly states he's NOT GAY.

as far as what someone did in the past? You don't think it's reprehensible that Latrell Spreewell choked his coach (physical violence) but is still allowed to play in the NBA? One has to deal with the consequences of their actions...

Did you read? Just because I said "Someone's sexual preference" doesn't mean it's always constant throughout their life...A person can be gay/lesbian at one point and be straight at another point.

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Originally posted by feelgood
Or even what they've done in the past?

A check into a person's past to see if he has broken any major laws (Ie Spreewell choked his coach) is perfectly acceptable as that is common in both sport world and work world. But when it comes to finding out about what you have done that's not prohibtabed by law, that's just plain stupid.

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Originally posted by feelgood
Did you read? Just because I said "Someone's sexual preference" doesn't mean it's always constant throughout their life...A person can be gay/lesbian at one point and be straight at another point.

ummm no. no they cannot.

At least that's what all my homosexual and lesbian friends have told me. It's not like turning on a light switch to be turned on and off at leisure.

and I've reread your comments over and over and I don't see where you said "someone's sexual preference" in fact I even checked with my google search highlight to make sure that I wasn't missing it somewhere.

Yes they can. I'm not talking about being gay and then straight at the next moment. I can be straight now and then over the course of next 10 years, I can be evolved into a gay person. That's one point into the next. Sorry if I worded that wrong.

That's not the point. The point is that it seems wrong for someone to be judged based on what he has done based on his sexual taste.

How would you like it if your boss looked into your past and discovered that you once engaged into swinging action with your wife/husband with other couples and then your boss fires you because he thinks that's morally wrong.

I wouldn't want it to be that way but that's the RESPONSIBILITY of the ACTIONS that I chose. It is one reasons that people who do swing/BDSM etc. do so with need for anonymity.

And I do think you need to learn more about homosexuality. I'd like to know where evidence exists showing that one can be straight now and then "turned" in the future. One cannot be "evolved" into gay or straight over months or years.

Brandy Alexandre porn star in the 80's and early 90's was trying to make a normal life for herself. She didn't refer to herself as Brandy and kept a distance with the work and past. Her boss at the Funeral Home she was working at found out that she was a porn star and she was dismissed from her job.

Sucks, but that's what it is, and until you hold all the gold someone can make decisions that you don't like.

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Originally posted by Holo
So did he pitch or catch in the video? :lol: :lol:

BRILLIANT!

Ok.. my opinion on this... he shouldn't be so hard on himself. I wonder how big of a story this would be if he had just shrugged his shoulders and gone, "So what?"

He's a ball player, not a runner up for Pope. Who cares what he did before?

I totaly agree Halx.

Who cares when you dont?

Nothing to see here, move on /laugh Southpark. Anyway, I have no problem with this. We are all so hung up on sex anyway. It shouldn't be that big a deal.

I don't see that big of a deal...worse has been done for money.

I feel sorry for the poor gay.. err guy ;)

I wonder if they discriminate against Multimillionaire Entrepreneur's who turn to play BaseBall in the Minor Leagues.

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Originally posted by Cynthetiq

And I do think you need to learn more about homosexuality. I'd like to know where evidence exists showing that one can be straight now and then "turned" in the future. One cannot be "evolved" into gay or straight over months or years.

i'm afraid i don't quite understand this now. If one remains straight or gay for their entire life, what preference does this baseball player have? Are we to take his non-gay statement at face value, and assume his homosexual acts on video were under duress because he wanted the money? Or do we think that he is lying because generally to do a homosexual act your member needs to be erect, and if he were not gay, his member would understandably flaccid for the duration of the shoot? Kazuhito Tadano might only have made the statement to avoid further repurcussions to his career.
If we take the different stance that people can change sexual preference, it makes Tadano's actions more reasonable (to me at least) where he could have had homosexual inclinations in the past allowing him to do this video, but over the years had more heterosexual inclination, making him as he says "not gay". It shouldn't really matter in the end how this guy lives his life though, it's his business and baseball should remain seperate from it.

I think that this situation is the price to pay for choosing to become a "public figure". Once you accept the multimillion dollar contract, you automatically signup for relative lack of privacy and increased need for conformity to the "rules" of those who are offering to pay you that handsome salary.

If you don't like the rules, don't take the money. Or, take the money and deal with the consequences.

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Originally posted by Bookman
The big deal is that America and it's sports are macho..very macho. This threatens the machismo. I dont really care what they do off the field or court, it is their business. But the big deal is America grasping this..it may be a bit hard.
Would we hate Kornikova is she did girl on girl? Dont think so.

if Kornikova did girl on girl, I'd be watching more women's tennis matches.

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Originally posted by Cynthetiq
And I do think you need to learn more about homosexuality. I'd like to know where evidence exists showing that one can be straight now and then "turned" in the future. One cannot be "evolved" into gay or straight over months or years.

So you're telling me that once a homosexual always a homosexual? Nope, that's like telling me once a drunk always a drunk. People can change. I think you need to learn more about the fact the change in people's life is constant...

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Originally posted by feelgood
So you're telling me that once a homosexual always a homosexual? Nope, that's like telling me once a drunk always a drunk. People can change. I think you need to learn more about the fact the change in people's life is constant...

no i'm not telling you that. I'm asking you to back up your statement with facts and evidence proving your point. I have plenty of homosexual friends who will denounce what you have stated. And to put rubber to the road, here's my evidence to back up my statements:

http://uk.gay.com/headlines/3428

http://www.statenews.com/editionsfal...8/op_col1.html

Damn it, the incident had nothing to do with me it's all rumors!

----Not the onetime he's talking about! :)

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Originally posted by Cynthetiq
I have plenty of homosexual friends who will denounce what you have stated.

Perhaps your friends prefer to believe that they are "hard wired" because it is easier to deal with than admitting that they've made a choice.

Who cares if this dude had 1 homosexual incident. I know alot of dudes that have had one or thought about having one and you don't see them in the news. It's stupid how people in sports or celebrites get put into the spotlight for something they did or said. They are like everyone else but a better job.

So who in the Cleveland Indians organization was watching the gay porn and said, "Hey, isn't that Tadano?"

Cynthetiq and Feelgood: What you two are debating is a hot and divisive topic that rages throughout the GLBT community. One side says "Once gay, always gay, you're born that way, it's not your fault." The other says "Love whom you love and make no excuses for it, you're doing nothing wrong and have no reason to justify your actions to others." These groups rarely congregate together due to the sometimes violent passions about their stances, so it's not at all odd that all of Cyn's gay friends have similar opinions. Each side says the other is in allegience with those who would destroy us: the "born that way"s are admitting what we do is inherently wrong and are trying to excuse it, the "love whom you love"s are admitting that we choose to behave in a way that leads to us being social pariahs.

You'll find evidence for both sides all over the Internet, which just shows how divisive and passioned the debate is. You can find family trees full of gays, and you can find ones with only one. You can find those who knew from as far back as they can remember and you can find those who slowly accepted it as they aged. Truth is that we don't fully know what causes one person to be sexually attracted to another, and we may never know.

As for Kournikova doing any gay porn, I'd be the first to volunteer to co-star. :D

wow, simply wow, just goes to show that anything you do could eventually come back and bite you in the ass

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Originally posted by PorscheBunny
You'll find evidence for both sides all over the Internet, which just shows how divisive and passioned the debate is. You can find family trees full of gays, and you can find ones with only one. You can find those who knew from as far back as they can remember and you can find those who slowly accepted it as they aged. Truth is that we don't fully know what causes one person to be sexually attracted to another, and we may never know.

As for Kournikova doing any gay porn, I'd be the first to volunteer to co-star. :D

very true.

but it's the people who live the lifestyle who know more about the lifestyle as opposed to those that demand that the heathens change.

A person who does not own a car cannot give advice on how to drive, operate, maintain, or even purchase a car, as well as someone who has.

IMHO the ONLY people who are talking about changing back and forth are the religious right and conservatives. Other than that, I don't see any of my gay friends, hear of any of the gay community, say,"I need to explore how I can change my lifestyle from homosexuality to heterosexuality." I only hear of it tagged along and pressed by someone else's doing.

those crazy japanese....what will they come up with next

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Originally posted by Confederate
wow, simply wow, just goes to show that anything you do could eventually come back and bite you in the ass

Damn, is that not the fucking truth? *raises eyebrows*

You people act like its not that big of a deal. The thing is it is. As far as a society as a whole and it would be a big deal. I"m not just talking about OMG he's done a gay porn and now is in sports and things are macho. The fact taht he was taking it in the butt in a film at one point can create controversy. I also think that he did the right thing and cleared the air right away before anyone just stumbled upon finding that info out.

Also, think of your job. Whatever it may be, would your boss just shrug and say none of my business if you beat your wife/husband or was in fact in a film where you had a penis in your ass?

Ass mining isn't the same as beating your wife.

What I do or did for money on my own spare time is of no consequence to my employer, unless it's a direct conflict of interest. Porn and baseball have no relationship. It's not a conflict of interest and therefore it don't mean shit to anyone.

Just because there are no OPENLY gay NBA, NFL, NHL, or MLB players, doesn't necessarily mean that every player in those leagues is straight, either. Lots of man-hours in the showers there.

If he had said "Yeah, I'm gay. You gotta fuckin' problem?" this whole thing would become a non-issue.

How much is gay porn paying again? Why the fuck does the media care if someone if gay? This is 2004, not 1950.

In case anyone really wants to know....I know the Kinston Indians former GM. This was announced (and reported by Baseball America) over a year ago. The first thing he did when he came to the US was to tell everyone.

The reason there is talk now is because the guy can pitch. He is most likely going to make the team this year, and he is on the 40 man roster right now. He can throw several pitches for strikes.

Okay Halx...bad analogy. But he brought up the fact that he was in a movie because no doubt if it was discovered it would obviously be controversal and most likely hurt his career a lot more than if he just gets it out of the way now.

I have no problem with it but there are people that undoubtebly would shit bricks.

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Seems to be two threads here so I choose to jump into this fray;
If you talk to a true drunk they will tell you once a drunk always a drunk. They may choose not to drink but they always want to. Same with being Gay. I am no expert on the subject, but those of my Friends that are, indicate it is not something you evolve into or out of.