December 26, 201213 yr Former major league All-Star closer Ugueth Urbina spent Christmas as a free man after he was released from a Venezuelan prison after serving more than five years on an attempted-murder conviction. Urbina was accused of attacking multiple men on his property in November 2005, allegedly trying to set them on fire and going after at least one with a machete. He was convicted in March 2007 and given a 14-year sentence. The incident ended an 11-year career in which Urbina, 38, twice made the All-Star team. He led the National League with 41 saves for the Montreal Expos in 1999. Urbina broke in with Montreal in 1995, and he played with the Expos until a July 2001 trade sent him to the Boston Red Sox. He spent two years in Boston, earning 40 saves in 2002. Later in his career, Urbina pitched for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. He earned four postseason saves in 2003 while helping the Marlins win the World Series. In 583 career appearances, including 21 starts, Urbina went 44-49 with 237 saves and a 3.45 ERA. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-ugueth-urbina-prison-20121225,0,1940932.story Comeback time?
December 27, 201213 yr How do you get 14 years for a bogus "attempted murder?" Do it in Venezuela. He went after 5 guys he thought had stolen a gun from him. With a machete. Apparently his large-knife skills were pretty good, he got them under enough control to throw gasoline on them. Although, the gas thing was probably a little over-the-top. Still, nobody died or was seriously injured. And, it's perfectly understandable that he would be upset by criminals, his mother was held for ransom for 5 months by kidnappers before the '05 season. U.S. ballplayers run around with lots of security in Venezuela because they're kidnapping targets (as are their families) and that sort of thing is rampant. Obviously, he has a temper but if he wanted to kill a suspected thief or thieves he would have. His run-in with the law happened after the '05 season. He was 31 at the time, so his career got cut short. Even 5 years in prison would be ridiculous for a semi-national hero MLB ballplayer with no previous record, but 14 years? Maybe 6 months for some sort of assault and battery charge would have been more appropriate. He probably had some political views that the Chavistas weren't thrilled with. That probably cost him 10 million+ on top of the 5 wasted years in some sh!thole prison. I always liked Oogie. He wasn't great, but he was good enough to be worth his money (and the trade of Gonzalez) and got the job done when we needed it. Supposedly he still throws 90 and his old Venezuelan team is interested.
December 27, 201213 yr I hear he converted to a catcher while in prison. I'm sorry, that was terrible...
December 29, 201213 yr Can he still get it over the plate? If so, I'm sure the Marlins could use him, since they want to reunite the 2003 team in whatever format possible it seems.
December 30, 201213 yr Loria= Owner who hates team Juan Pierre= Willie Mays Hayes Ugueth Urbina= Rick Vaughn Giancarlo Stanton= Pedro Cerrano Placido Polanco= Roger Dorn IT ALL MAKES SENSE
December 30, 201213 yr Even 5 years in prison would be ridiculous for a semi-national hero MLB ballplayer with no previous record, but 14 years? Why should that matter?
December 30, 201213 yr Loria= Owner who hates team Juan Pierre= Willie Mays Hayes Ugueth Urbina= Rick Vaughn Giancarlo Stanton= Pedro Cerrano Placido Polanco= Roger Dorn IT ALL MAKES SENSE Except that Urbina and Pierre are old as shit and Polanco was never really that great like Dorn supposedly was. But the general concept is there, I wonder if there is an out in the lease allowing Loria to move if the attendance gets too low?
December 30, 201213 yr Even 5 years in prison would be ridiculous for a semi-national hero MLB ballplayer with no previous record, but 14 years? Why should that matter? It shouldn't and in this case it didn't. If some penniless peasant got 5 years in Venezuela on a set of Urbina-like facts it wouldn't be shocking, but 14 years? Urbina had the money to retain top-shelf lawyers. Obviously that didn't work. Which seriously raises the odds that it was political or that somebody in power had it in for him. His family is still there, so he's not likely to say anything about it.
December 30, 201213 yr He got killer instinct....We'll take him! I'm sure we must have made this joke before, but I like it anyway.
January 7, 201313 yr Loria= Owner who hates team Juan Pierre= Willie Mays Hayes Ugueth Urbina= Rick Vaughn Giancarlo Stanton= Pedro Cerrano Placido Polanco= Roger Dorn IT ALL MAKES SENSE Except that Urbina and Pierre are old as shit and Polanco was never really that great like Dorn supposedly was. But the general concept is there, I wonder if there is an out in the lease allowing Loria to move if the attendance gets too low? Not to mention that Giancarlo's bat does not fear curveballs.
January 9, 201313 yr http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/01/quick-hits-posey-gonzalez-giambi-pirates.html I'm not sure how to interpret the Urbina part. Is Ozzie a scout for the Marlins now?...
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