Houston Astros: The hidden truth in the lawsuit against Yordan Alvarez
Avoiding distractions on the field
On July 1, 2019, Manuel Azcona filed suit in a Dominican tribunal, I was able to obtain documents saying that indeed a lean was in process of being filed against Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. The suit alleges that Álvarez owes a multimillion-dollar sum to Azcona.
The Cuban slugger, of which there is already analogy as a kind of Cuban “Big Papi”, hit a no-doubter against Dylan Bundy in his major league debut. The entrance of Alvarez to MLB was more than unthinkable something surreal.
In the span of a month “Air Yordan” was born and the Josh Fields trade made the Astros front office look like geniuses. As per Elias Sports Bureau, Álvarez is the fourth player in the Modern Era to hit six long balls in his first 11 big league games.
As of the 10th of August, this year the young Cuban was the first Houston Astros rookie to hit three homers in a game and the second player in the last 100 years with 50 RBI in his first 45 games, the last one being Joe DiMaggio.
As the process for a possible lean against Alvarez ran its course the player was named Rookie of the Month in back to back months (July, August).
Alvarez was becoming a star and the possible front runner for the Rookie of the Year in the junior circuit. However, it was impossible to understand that the hulking Cuban would have any negative moments in 2019.
As the legal process continued it didn’t affect Yordan Alverz’s production on the field at all in June he hit .317, 7 HR, 21 RBI and the following months July (.333, 5HR, 15 RBI), August (.309, 9 HR, 26 RBI), September (.288, 5 HR, 16RBI) he was a steady hitter.
“I haven’t filed any type of suit against Yordan because I’m trying to resolve things harmoniously,” said Azcona via WhatsApp with one mediator in a phone conversation we had a few days back.
Although those were his claims, I uncovered documents that say otherwise. Docket number 05-14-2019-ECIV-0037 clearly states that on July 9, 2019, Azcona asked a Dominican court to put a lean on any and properties belonging to Yordan Alvarez in the Dominican Republic.
A lean was put on a bank account and $480,000 belonging to was frozen in the Dominican Republic, however, Alvarez was able to present evidence that he indeed paid Azcona the sum agreed upon and that payment was made to a partial assignee.
In the blind and corrupt courts of the Dominican Republic where many judges can be partial to such investors as Azcona, the Houston Astros slugger was able to provide proof that all debts had been settled and his account was unfrozen.
In the current day, the player is represented by Magnus Sports an agency lead by singer and actor Marc Anthony, that has recruited several players such as Gurriel and Mesa brothers and Aroldis Chapman to name a few.
“They wanted to make a false claim and try to pressure Yordan into paying a sum of money,” said Alvarez’s lawyer in the Dominican Republic, Oscar Batista.
Batista’s defense was able to get the Santiago District Court to annul every and all claims against the ballplayer. According to the proof presented by Batista in court proceedings all payments to Azcona were made through BHD Leon, a Dominican bank, which ironically had a banner behind home plate during the last World Series between Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.