Tsao About That: A Win Ten Years in the Making

After being out of the majors for eight years, Chin-hui Tsao picked up his first win in more than a decade in the Dodgers 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The 34-year old right-hander last won a major league game way back on May 11, 2005 with the Colorado Rockies.

Tsao had this to say about the Dodgers giving him the opportunity to once again play in the majors:

“I’d like to thank God and the team for giving me a chance to pitch here,” said Tsao. “I’m very lucky to get the win today. I feel like I’m dreaming.”

Interestingly, the Dodgers new front office haven’t shied away from acquiring players who may not have the shiniest of pasts. Yasmani Grandal had a P.E.D. history, there was Chad Gaudin who was charged with lewdness in 2013, and Tsao was involved in a game-fixing scandal in Taiwan in 2009.

While Tsao served his five-year suspension for his gambling ties, he continued to train while running a barbeque joint.

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International scouts saw that Tsao could still pitch, and the Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal in the offseason. He made six appearances in Spring Training exhibition games and pitched in 25 minor league games between the double-A Tulsa Drillers and the Oklahoma City Dodgers before getting the call on Friday for the Dodgers.

Tsao pitched for the Dodgers briefly in 2007 going 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in 21 games with 16 strikeouts and 8 walks in 24 2/3 innings. After the lengthy hiatus, Tsao is back with the Dodgers, and he may even play an important part in the Dodgers second half to the season.

Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports wrote about the Dodgers gamble with Chin-hui Tsao last December, and he explained that Tsao reportedly “agreed to throw two games in exchange for “benefits” from gamblers.” The game-fixing plan didn’t work out for Tsao, and he ended up being banished from the Chinese Professional Baseball League. Brown went on to explain that the Dodgers received clearance from the MLB to sign Tsao even though the MLB has been pretty strict in regards to sports gambling. Brown went on to say that he feels Tsao shouldn’t get a second chance.

“This much seems clear, ambiguities notwithstanding: A guy banned from playing baseball somewhere else (or, in this case, two somewhere elses) for at least entertaining the idea of throwing games probably should not be rewarded with a second chance here.”

While I don’t condone game-fixing or P.E.D. use, I do think Tsao probably is very remorseful and served a very lengthy suspension for his misdoings. I don’t feel that Pete Rose should be excluded from the Hall of Fame, and Tsao does deserve a second chance. While I don’t think there’s any second chances when it comes to acts of violence, and I of course don’t like baseball to be tarnished with repeated P.E.D. users or gamblers, I think Tsao at least deserves the opportunity to use his fastball for good and not evil.

Tsao pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the Dodgers 3-2 win over the Brewers Friday. Tsao about that!

Do you think Tsao should get a second chance? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.