Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bronson Arroyo, out for the remainder of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery, finds himself recovering from some major skullduggery by his former personal assistant as well.
In 2012, Anthony Acosta told the veteran right-hander that he accidentally sunk his yacht. He had secretly stashed the boat at a storage facility in Opa-locka, Florida.
“This is Captain Tony,” Arroyo says on a video produced by Cincinnati.com. “He makes this thing go. Without him, we get out sometimes but we probably don’t make it back.”
“Captain Tony” made the yacht go. Worth $167,000, the Nasty Hook sold for $22,000 in 2013 after Acosta left Arroyo’s employ.
Much to Acosta’s chagrin the yacht’s new owners discovered a lien on the boat with Arroyo’s name on it. They contacted him and the scam unfolded. The hoodwinked pitcher learned that Acosta allegedly forged his name on the bill of sale.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Acosta now resides at the Hillsborough County Jail facing grand theft larceny and forgery charges. Arroyo resided on the Nasty Hook for several spring trainings.
Captain Tony described the boat as 48 feet in length and called 28 mph its optimum speed in the Cincinnati.com video. He explained, “It’s pretty much considered a sport yacht.”
Every room featured a television, DVD player, and DirecTV. Arroyo said the boat almost doubled as a dance club some nights during spring training, which he pointed out coincided with spring break. Social media shows that Arroyo attended a Jimmy Buffet concert alongside Captain Tony on the Nasty Hook, hung out with Pedro Martinez, and entertained many girls in bikinis.
The Daily News reported that the former personal assistant’s bond was set at $50,000. Jail records do not list any legal representation for the incarcerated Acosta, described as a childhood friend of the pitcher.
Arroyo will have to watch his team face the Mets in the first round of the NLDS on Friday and hope that his surgery gets him back on the mound for next year. The 38-year-old registers a lifetime ERA of 4.19. Over his fifteen seasons with the Pirates, Red Sox, Reds, and Diamondbacks, he boasts a 145-131 record. Arroyo pitched for the Red Sox team that won the World Series in 2004.
The Dodgers acquired Arroyo in a three-team deal with the Diamondbacks and Braves in July. The veteran has yet to see any innings for the Blue.