Carlos Zambrano Starts Brawl In Venezuela

Former major league pitcher Carlos Zambrano is apologizing for starting a brawl during Venezuela's winter league series final.

In Game 3 of the finals, this happened when the opposing pitcher threw at one of Zambrano's teammates...


His apology was carried Monday by El Nacional newspaper, and translated from the article said in part:

"I got a hit, fell, during the brawl. The most disadvantaged was I by the stupidity of wanting to take justice into my hands, when the Bible says that justice is God's. But I am human, I am not perfect,"said del Toro, after becoming the center of attraction of the brawl that sailors and Caribs, staged at the top of the sixth inning of the third game of the final.

"What happens on the pitch stays there, said Zambrano."This will not end today or tomorrow. If you stick a pitch in the major leagues, many people will go to the mound and you will want to arrange things in a very unprofessional way."

"It was an embarrassing moment. Last night when I went to the dugout I didn't have to get out more so. It gave me grief with God and the fans. It was a moment of impulse".

The LVBP (Venezuelan Pro Baseball League) was looking at tape to determine any kind of discipline- that could even keep Zambrano from pitching in a 5th game if the series goes that far...

Torrealba Suspended 66 Games In Venezuela

Okay, the HQ initially saw the number and wondered where it came from...

But, it's the rest of this season and all of next season...

That's what happens when you do this...
((HT: youtube/7o8sports))


These kinds of suspensions don't work in the MLB, so he just has to find something else to do in the winter...

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos kidnapped

Wilson Ramos

((ht: cbsnews))

24-year-old Wilson Ramos, who just finished his first season as the starting catcher for the Washington Nationals was kidnapped Wednesday evening from his home in Venezuela.

Details are still somewhat sketchy, but it was confirmed by a spokesperson from Ramos's team in the Venezuelan league.

Read this story in English from prorumors.com (quoting-El Universal) RIGHT HERE

CBS News spoke to some of Ramos's Washington teammates RIGHT HERE

There have been many discussions about the safety of players in small Latin American countries such as Venezuela. And there have been several incidents of players being robbed and in one case the mother of a player being kidnapped. It's all for the ransom money and apparent lawlessness in the country.

We only hope that authorities are able to find Ramos and that he is OK. We'll keep monitoring this story as it develops.

Here is the CBSNews TV story: