Ugueth

Urbina

GM John Hart says the team is not close to swinging a deal. Ugueth Urbina is drawing the most interest, but the Rangers want to hold out for the best offer. John Thomson and Ismael Valdes, who start Thursday and Saturday respectively, have also been involved in rumors.

Apparently a rescue mission is underway. Hopefully this will all end well for the Urbina family who has been on tenterhooks for a week since Mrs. Urbina was abducted.

If Urbina does return to the Tigers this season, Trammell thinks he would be able to pitch. “He knows what he’s doing,” Trammell said. “It wouldn’t take him as long as most to get ready, I guarantee you that.”

Police authorities believe that Urbina’s mother is still alive and well, and that the kidnappers are just getting settled before a demand is made. We hope that that is the case, and that this horrible matter can be resolved without any harm being done to Mrs. Urbina.

Urbina’s mother is still being held by kidnappers, but it’s a situation that hopefully will have a positive resolution this winter. GM Dave Dombrowski is likely to pick up Urbina’s $4 million option for 2005.

Urbina is in “great shape” and is set to begin pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League, his good friend Guillen added. The Tigers are shopping Urbina, but they’re prepared to enter next season with him setting up Troy Percival.

Hurdle said Urbina’s “pitchability doesn’t fit our ballpark.” He’s no Shawn Chacon, that’s for sure.

Outstanding news for the Urbina family. Maura Villareal, who was held for ransom for 5 1/2 months, was discovered exhausted and dehydrated but otherwise okay.

Cameron probably isn’t Detroit bound. Talks cut off when the Tigers wanted the Mets to pick up a portion of his salary, and even if something could be worked out there, Cameron has Detroit listed in his no-trade clause. The Mets could come up with a way to acquire Urbina without using Cameron. If they did, it’d be the second time Urbina was brought in to act as Braden Looper’s setup man. He ended up replacing Looper for the Marlins late in the 2003 season, but Looper’s job is quite a bit more secure now.

Even though his mother is still being held for ransom in Venezuela, Urbina will report to spring training. Depending on how he looks, the Cubs or another team could acquire him and turn him into a closer. If the Tigers keep him, he’ll set up Troy Percival.