Former Florida Marlin Urgeth Urbina arrested for attempted murder

MLB pitcher(and former Florida Marlin) Urgeth Urbina has been arrested in Venezuela for attempted murder.

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Former Tigers reliever Ugueth Urbina was arrested and held Tuesday pending a charge of attempted murder.

Last month, Urbina and a group of men allegedly attacked five workers with machetes and poured gasoline on them in an attempt to set them on fire. All five were injured, some with cuts and one with burns on the back and right arm, police said.

Urbina, who was detained late Monday, has insisted he had nothing to do with the violence at his family's ranch Oct. 16.

"Everything will be cleared up soon and people will know the truth," Urbina said from his cell at a police station.

Urbina's lawyer said the pitcher surprised the workers by showing up at the ranch that night while they were bathing in the pool without permission. He said Urbina spoke sharply to them, but later left and went to sleep.

Urbina, 31, has a 44-49 record with 237 saves and a 3.45 ERA in 11 seasons. He pitched for the Tigers in 2004-05, before being traded to Philadelphia for Placido Polanco. He became a free agent after the season.

Urbina's story reminds me of the case of another MLB pitcher and Venezuela native, Julio Machado. In 1991 Machado murdered a woman in Venezuela after a traffic accident. He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Hat tip- James Joyner at OTB who hopes Urbina is innocent of the charges. I second the motion.