John Wetteland
Encyclopedia
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
who specialized as a closer
. During a 12-year career (from 1989–2000), he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers
, Montreal Expos
, New York Yankees
, and Texas Rangers
.
in December 1989 as a Rule 5 Draft
pick, but was soon returned to the Dodgers. While playing in the Pacific Coast League
, he garnered notice by earning 20 saves in 20 chances. He made his major league debut on May 31, 1989. After struggling with his first five starts in 1990, Wetteland asked to be switched to the bullpen
, and became a full-time closer in 1992.
After the 1991 season, Wetteland was traded twice; first to the Cincinnati Reds
for Eric Davis, and then to the Expos for Dave Martinez
. On April 5, 1995 he was traded to the Yankees for Fernando Seguignol
.
During the 1996 season, he led the American League in saves, with 43, and appeared in the All-Star Game
. Wetteland was given the World Series MVP Award
that year, recording the maximum four saves possible during the Series, tying the record for the most saves in a single postseason series, and setting a record for saves in the full postseason, with seven. He was awarded with the 1996 Rolaids Relief Man Award
.
The Yankees allowed Wetteland to leave as a free agent
due to the emergence of Mariano Rivera
. He joined the Texas Rangers on December 16, 1996, signing a 4-year contract worth $23 million. Before the 1999 season, Wetteland underwent elbow surgery. The surgery robbed him of some of his fastball
speed, forcing him to expand his repertoire to include a slider, curveball, and change-up. Wetteland was again named to the All-Star team for the 1999 season, where he pitched a scoreless 9th inning, and became the first Rangers pitcher to earn an All-Star save. His 43 saves that year set a new Rangers record. His final game was on September 20, 2000, and he retired at age 33 after his Rangers contract expired during the 2000 offseason.
Wetteland was awarded the Rolaids Reliever of the Decade after earning the most saves of any pitcher during the 1990s. He is also the Rangers all-time saves leader. His final win/loss percentage was .516, with 48 wins and 45 losses.
In 2005, Wetteland was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
. They have four children and live in Texas
.
On May 18, 2007, Wetteland, a born-again Christian, was introduced as an assistant baseball coach and Bible teacher at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas
.
On November 12, 2009, Wetteland was hospitalized for what was originally reported to be a "mental issue." In a subsequent statement upon Wetteland's release the same night, the Seattle Mariners indicated that the cause of the hospitalization was "because of an extremely high heart rate" linked to high blood pressure.
. However, on June 15, 2006, Wetteland was relieved of his duties by manager Frank Robinson
, and offered another position within the organization.
On December 3, 2008, Wetteland was announced as the bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners.
He served in this position until after the end of the 2010 season, when new manager Eric Wedge
replaced him with Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers
pitching coach Jaime Navarro
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who specialized as a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
. During a 12-year career (from 1989–2000), he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Playing career
Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second choice in the June 1985 amateur draft (Secondary Phase). He was later claimed by the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in December 1989 as a Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
pick, but was soon returned to the Dodgers. While playing in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, he garnered notice by earning 20 saves in 20 chances. He made his major league debut on May 31, 1989. After struggling with his first five starts in 1990, Wetteland asked to be switched to the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
, and became a full-time closer in 1992.
After the 1991 season, Wetteland was traded twice; first to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for Eric Davis, and then to the Expos for Dave Martinez
Dave Martinez
David Martinez is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from 1986 to 2001. He is currently the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Career:...
. On April 5, 1995 he was traded to the Yankees for Fernando Seguignol
Fernando Seguignol
Fernando Alfredo Seguignol is a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent. In 2010 he played for the Orix Buffaloes in the Japanese Pacific League, where he had previously played in 2002, After playing for the Newark Bears...
.
During the 1996 season, he led the American League in saves, with 43, and appeared in the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. Wetteland was given the World Series MVP Award
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
that year, recording the maximum four saves possible during the Series, tying the record for the most saves in a single postseason series, and setting a record for saves in the full postseason, with seven. He was awarded with the 1996 Rolaids Relief Man Award
Rolaids Relief Man Award
The Rolaids Relief Man Award is an annual Major League Baseball award given since the 1976 MLB season to the top relief pitchers of the regular season, one in the American League and one in the National League . Relief pitchers are the pitchers who enter the game after the starting pitcher is...
.
The Yankees allowed Wetteland to leave as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
due to the emergence of Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...
. He joined the Texas Rangers on December 16, 1996, signing a 4-year contract worth $23 million. Before the 1999 season, Wetteland underwent elbow surgery. The surgery robbed him of some of his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
speed, forcing him to expand his repertoire to include a slider, curveball, and change-up. Wetteland was again named to the All-Star team for the 1999 season, where he pitched a scoreless 9th inning, and became the first Rangers pitcher to earn an All-Star save. His 43 saves that year set a new Rangers record. His final game was on September 20, 2000, and he retired at age 33 after his Rangers contract expired during the 2000 offseason.
Wetteland was awarded the Rolaids Reliever of the Decade after earning the most saves of any pitcher during the 1990s. He is also the Rangers all-time saves leader. His final win/loss percentage was .516, with 48 wins and 45 losses.
In 2005, Wetteland was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
Personal
Wetteland and his wife Michele met while he was playing for the Double-A San Antonio MissionsSan Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
. They have four children and live in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
On May 18, 2007, Wetteland, a born-again Christian, was introduced as an assistant baseball coach and Bible teacher at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas
Argyle, Texas
Argyle is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States, with a population of 2,365 as of the 2000 census. The master-planned community of Lantana, Texas shares the Argyle mailing address.-History:...
.
On November 12, 2009, Wetteland was hospitalized for what was originally reported to be a "mental issue." In a subsequent statement upon Wetteland's release the same night, the Seattle Mariners indicated that the cause of the hospitalization was "because of an extremely high heart rate" linked to high blood pressure.
Coaching career
On January 27, 2006, Wetteland was hired as the bullpen coach of the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. However, on June 15, 2006, Wetteland was relieved of his duties by manager Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
, and offered another position within the organization.
On December 3, 2008, Wetteland was announced as the bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners.
He served in this position until after the end of the 2010 season, when new manager Eric Wedge
Eric Wedge
Eric Michael Wedge is a Major League Baseball manager and former catcher, and is the current manager of the Seattle Mariners. As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983...
replaced him with Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
pitching coach Jaime Navarro
Jaime Navarro
Jaime Navarro Cintrón is a former Puerto Rican baseball player. Navarro was a 6 foot, four inch tall right-handed pitcher in the major leagues from to , playing for the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Indians...
.