Report: Ventura robbed while alive after accident
Disturbing but unverified details have emerged about the death of Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura.
A story in the Spanish-language site Pio Deportes said that journalist Euri Cabral reported that Ventura “was carrying items such as cash, garments that included his World Series ring and other valuable items, which were stripped” after his Jeep crash.
Royals general manager Dayton Moore told The Star’s Vahe Gregorian that he’s aware of the report but did not comment further on it. It’s known by the Royals that Ventura’s mother, Marisol, seeks an investigation.
Yordano Ventura’s grandfather talked to Pio Deportes and said details were not clear about what had happened after the accident, but asked the authorities to investigate further.
“We have no sign of how it all was. We want a clarification by the National Police. We are not very clear about that, we would like it to be thoroughly investigated,” Raul Hernandez said.
The site Ensegundo reported that Cabral said Ventura “was found alive, but several people assaulted him instead of helping him, after suffering the fatal accident at kilometer 14 of the road Juan Adrian.”
Jacobo Mateo Moquete, a public information officer for the Commission on Military and Police for the Department of Public Works, told the Dominican radio station Zol 106.5 FM on Tuesday that Dominican National Police officers, community members and local police were already present when his team arrived at the Ventura crash scene Sunday.
“It’s tragic that something of this magnitude happened,” Mateo Moquete said. “But whether or not he was robbed, I don’t have information to establish that.”
Mateo Moquete revealed Tuesday morning that, per a conversation with the friend who identified Ventura’s body, Ventura’s Jeep was last seen at the hotel in San Jose de Ocoa around 4 a.m. Sunday. It wasn’t until about 6:30 a.m. that a crowd had begun to assemble at the crash scene.
The approximate time it would take to travel from San Jose de Ocoa, where Ventura attended Patronales 2017, to Juan Adrian, where he was found, is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez posted on Twitter about the robbery report late Monday, and said he was appalled. Those posts are translated as:
“How outrageous to know that a life like Yordano’s could have been saved had it not been that they looted him the way he was looted
“Now it is more painful to know that Yordano remained alive after the accident and instead of someone to help him, they robbed him and let him die.
“I hope an investigation will be carried out, because if there is any specific evidence of this, I would feel a great deal of shame for my country.”
BEAN: Billy Bean has been given expanded responsibilities by Major League Baseball, which has changed his title to vice president and special assistant to commissioner Rob Manfred.
Bean will handle anti-bullying efforts in addition to his previous work, the commissioner’s office said Tuesday.
Hired in July 2014 as a consultant and given the title ambassador for inclusion, Bean was promoted last January to vice president for social responsibility and inclusion. He will continue to develop strategies with a focus on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Bean came out as gay in 1999, four years after his final major league season. He will report to Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney and have streamlined access to Manfred.
Renee Tirado is being promoted to VP of talent acquisition and diversity and inclusion. She had been senior director of recruitment since last January.
Melanie LeGrande is becoming VP of social responsibility. She had been director of community affairs since 2015.
RANGERS: James Loney and Texas have finalized a minor league contract that includes an invitation to big league spring training.
Loney would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the major league roster. ANGELS: Luis Valbuena and Los Angeles completed a $15 million, two-year contract Tuesday. The power-hitting corner infielder will play both positions for the Angels, who are coming off their worst record since 1999.