Former Major League closer Ugueth Urbina was released from prison after serving part of a 14-year term for attempted murder, Venezuelan newspaper El Universal reports.
Former MLB pitcher Ugueth Urbina released from prison
Venezuelan reliever was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2006, but had his term shortened for good behavior.
Posted by Juan Urbina on Twitter (@JuanUrbina51)
Urbina was sentenced in 2006 for burning and trying to kill two employees at his family’s ranch. He was also found guilty of illegal deprivation of liberty and violation of a prohibition against taking justice into his own hands.
The former pitcher was serving his sentence at the Penitenciaria General de Venezuela (PGV) in San Juan de los Morros, Venezuela, for over seven years. Being in the middle of his prison term, he benefitted from observing good behavior, which made him worthy of considering his release.
Urbina pitched in the Major Leagues during 11 seasons with Montreal, Boston, Texas, Florida, Detroit and Philadelphia. He had a 3.45 lifetime ERA, striking out 814 batters in 697⅓ innings and picking up 237 saves until he was involved in the incident, which resulted in his incarceration.
His son Juan, a Minor League pitcher with the Mets organization himself, divulged the news on his Twitter account.
Urbina Senior pitched throughout his career in Venezuela for the Leones del Caracas team, which has expressed interest in talking to the 38-year-old reliever. “He is welcome, he has paid his dues to society and our doors are open,” Leones General Manager Juan Vicente Zerpa said to the El Nacional daily. Some reports say Urbina’s fastball was clocked in the 90-mile range during his prison term, but a probable return to pro baseball could be a long-time proposition, considering he hasn’t played at the highest level in almost eight years.
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