Former Yankees teammates concerned about Wetteland
Photo credit: AP | New York Yankees pitcher John Wetteland celebrates the final out against the Baltimore Orioles during Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. (October 13, 1996)
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Mariano Rivera said he had not heard about the increasingly complicated story surrounding John Wetteland until he was informed of it Friday night by reporters, but he said he plans to find out more soon.
"You've got me off guard right now because he's a guy I have tremendous respect for; he was my mentor,'' said Rivera, the guest of honor at Joe Torre's annual Safe at Home Foundation event at Chelsea Piers. "I will be praying for him because I don't know what happened . . . but I will try to find out what's going on.''
Torre managed Wetteland in 1996 when the Yankees won the World Series and closer Wetteland was named the Series MVP.
"I'm very saddened by it and I don't know a lot about it,'' Torre said. "Someone mentioned it late [Thursday] night to me and I haven't heard anything more since. But I'm very saddened by what I did hear. In fact, John was at this dinner just a couple years ago and I certainly need to reach out and find out a little bit more what's transpired.''
Precisely what transpired Thursday afternoon is not as clear as it first appeared. Police in Denton County (Texas) were sent to Wetteland's home after receiving a phone call from someone inside the house, whom authorities presumed to be his wife, saying he was contemplating suicide.
But Wetteland, currently the Mariners' bullpen coach, disputed that in a statement released by the team Thursday night. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu further muddied things Friday afternoon after speaking to Wetteland. "He's doing great,''' Wakamatsu told the Seattle Times. "A lot of things got blown out of proportion. He had a domestic dispute - an argument. His blood pressure raced, and obviously his wife called the police. The next thing you know, it's about suicide. It had nothing to do with that.''
But that wasn't the impression given to the Denton County Sheriff's Department. "He was depressed; that was the story, that he might harm himself,'' Sgt. Roger Griggs told Newsday Thursday night. "That was law enforcement's concern.''
Derek Jeter said he didn't know many of the details of the story and heard about it Friday, shortly before leaving for the dinner. "You wish him and his family well; that's the first thing,'' Jeter said.
David Cone was on the same staff as Wetteland in 1995-96 and said the former closer has "always been a complicated guy.''
"I'm still confused about what actually happened, to tell you the truth,'' Cone said. "I'm glad to see that he's out of the hospital and doing better. I've heard conflicting reports on exactly what happened so I'm not sure how to respond one way or the other, but I certainly care about him a lot. He's a great guy. He's been through a lot in his life, on and off the field.''
Cone said he saw Wetteland when the Mariners were in town during the season and said his former teammate was enjoying himself.
"He looked great; he looked like he was enjoying what he was doing,'' Cone said. "He's a great bullpen coach, too. Seattle pitchers raved about him when I talked to them. He's well-liked and well-respected there, I know that. I hope he's OK. I hope the conflicting reports are just that and I hope it's nothing more serious than what we were first led to believe.''
