Wettleland arrested on child sex abuse charges
Former World Series MVP posted bond, released from custody
DALLAS — Former World Series MVP John Wetteland, who played briefly for the Albuquerque Dukes and lived in Cedar Crest much of the time he was in the major leagues, was arrested Monday on a child sex abuse charge.
Wetteland, 52, is accused of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to Denton County, Texas, jail records. He posted a $25,000 bond and was released from custody the same day as his arrest.
Bartonville Police Chief Bobby Dowell said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contacted his office last week. After an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Wetteland, who was taken into custody by Denton County sheriff’s deputies.
Dowell said that because of the nature of the offense and the stage of the investigation, he had no further details to release. DFPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said details of the agency’s cases are confidential.
According to a consolidated complaint and probable cause affidavit, Wetteland is accused of having a child perform a sex act on him, beginning in 2004 when the child was 4. The accuser said it happened twice more during a two-year period.
The Associated Press was not able to contact Wetteland or his
attorney for comment.
Reputed to be a longtime born-again Christian, Wetteland coached baseball and taught high school Bible classes part time at Liberty Christian School in Argyle from 2007 to 2008, Vice President of Advancement Dedra Brynn said.
He has not had any association with the school since, according to Brynn.
Wetteland was 11-8 with a 3.67 ERA in 59 games with the Albuquerque Dukes in parts of 1989-91. He moved to New Mexico in 1989 and lived in Cedar Crest for 13 years.
Wetteland was MVP of the 1996 World Series with the New York Yankees. The All-Star closer was 48-45 with 330 saves and a 2.93 ERA, also playing for Montreal, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Texas Rangers. He retired as the Rangers’ all-time saves leader with 150 after the 2000 season and was inducted into the team Hall of Fame in 2005.
He later worked as a bullpen coach for the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners, but both tenures included disturbing incidents.
The Nationals fired him at the behest of thenmanager Frank Robinson during the 2006 season for a series of practical jokes and transgressions.
“They seem to focus a little bit more on practical jokes and fooling around out there in the bullpen rather than focusing and concentrating on the game, and keeping their minds focused to what they would have to do when they came into the ballgame to get people out,” Robinson said at the time. “I just couldn’t put up with it anymore. I talked to John on a number of occasions and told him flat-out what I needed and how I wanted things done. He just didn’t seem to understand.”
In 2009, while with Seattle, he was hospitalized for what was originally termed a “mental health” issue related to a suicide threat, but Wetteland and the Mariners later released a statement saying the issue was related to elevated blood pressure and heart rate.
His former wife declined to comment Tuesday. The pair divorced in 2015.
The Rangers said in a statement that they “have been made aware of this situation and have no further comment.”
Wetteland has no current role with the organization.