Red Sox acquire Ugueth Urbina in '01 to become team's closer - Part one
Beyond the Monster is an ongoing series where we take you back in time and look at moments in Red Sox history.
On December 23, 2012, Juan Urbina sent a single tweet, “Finalmente con mi Padre!”. That translates to “Finally with my father”. The young Urbina tweeted that because his father, former Red Sox closer Ugueth Urbina, was finally released from prison.
Back in 2007, the elder Urbina was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the attempted murder of five workers on his family’s ranch. Urbina was sentenced to prison for joining a group of men in attacking and injuring workers with machetes and pouring gasoline on them at his family’s ranch in Venezuela.
Before all that played out he was a dominant closer for the Expos.
Urbina spent seven years with Montreal before being traded to the Red Sox back in 2001. The Red Sox acquired the All-Star closer at the trade deadline sending starter Tomokazu Ohka and Rich Rundles to Montreal.
The deal at the time gave the Red Sox a legitimate closer at the back of their pen. He wouldn’t be enough for the Sox because they would finish the season 13.5 games behind the Yankees in the American League East.
The Red Sox needed to get help in the bullpen due to the struggles of Derek Lowe that season. While Lowe would end the season with 24 saves, it was down from the previous season where he nailed down 42 games for the Sox.
At the time of the deal, Urbina was 2-1 with 15 saves and a 4.24 ERA. He was coming off a year where he had reconstructive elbow surgery so there was risk on the part of Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette to add the talented righty.
This trade almost never happened had the Yankees gotten their way. Earlier in the season, the Yankees and Expos agreed to a deal that was going to send Urbina to the Bronx. The Expos agreed to acquire minor leaguers D’Angelo Jimenez and Brandon Knight.
Ultimately the deal fell apart after the medicals on Urbina concerned the Yankees and the Expos didn’t like the results from Knight’s medical tests. The deal was subsequently called off and it would later become a Red Sox gain.
Stay tuned for part two of the Beyond the Monster: Red Sox acquire Ugueth Urbina in '01 to become team's closer.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
For additional Red Sox and Major League Baseball content, follow Beyond the Monster: Boston Red Sox on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.