Mariners bullpen coach John Wetteland taken to Texas hospital

Mariners bullpen coach John Wetteland said that "elevated blood pressure and heart rate" led to his hospitalization in Texas on Thursday, and added that he was "resting safely at home."

Wetteland was taken to the Denton Regional Medical Center near Dallas on Thursday after police were called to his house, according to the CBS affiliate in Dallas.

In a statement, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said: "We were relieved once we heard the details from John and [wife] Michele and that John is safe at home and in good health. Contrary to earlier news reports, the reason John was hospitalized was because of an extremely high heart rate. We have let them know that the Mariners will do whatever we can to assist them."

According to the report on cbs11tv.com, Denton County officials said Wetteland was hospitalized for a mental health issue.

According to the CBS report, the Denton County Sheriff's office said they took a call from the Argyle/Bartonville area around 12:30 p.m. CST Thursday on a possibly suicidal person. When officers arrived to the home, a man later identified as Wetteland came out with his hands in the air, saying he "needed help."

Wetteland said in a statement released by the ballclub, "Thank you for your concerns. My wife and I are very appreciative of the over and above care of our local officers and paramedics. The circumstances leading to my elevated blood pressure and heart rate have been addressed. I am currently resting safely at home."

When The Seattle Times contacted the Denton Regional Medical Center late Thursday afternoon, a spokesman said Wetteland was not registered. Calls to the Denton County Sheriff's Department were referred to Bartonville Police Chief Dave Howell, who didn't return a message.

A spokesman for the Denton County Sheriff's Department told the Dallas Morning News that Wetteland displayed no physical injuries.

Wetteland, 43, recently completed his first year on the Mariners' staff, under manager Don Wakamatsu. He lives in Argyle, Texas, with his wife and four children — 13-year-old twin daughters, an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.

Before joining the M's staff, Wetteland had spent the past two years teaching high-school Bible classes and serving as an assistant baseball coach for Liberty Christian School in Argyle.

Wetteland pitched in the major leagues for 12 seasons with four teams, saving 330 games. He was the World Series MVP in 1996, saving all four of the Yankees' victories. He made the American League's All-Star team in 1996, '98 and '99.

Mariner manager Don Wakamatsu talked to Wetteland on Friday and said he now he believes that all the talk about suicide and mental health issues were highly premature.

"He's doing great,'' Wakamatsu said. "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.''

Wakamatsu added, 'It's absolutely amazing. I get a call at 3 yesterday, there's helicopters, a reported suicide at the Wetteland resident. It's really a joke. John's doing great. After he went to the hospital because his heart rate was elevated, he spent the night with Michele at the house. They're both in good spirits. Everyone gets into arguments. It's unfortunate it was blown out of proportion nationally.''

The news of Wetteland's ordeal came as a shock to members of the Mariners' bullpen, who had a close relationship with Wetteland.

Reliever David Aardsma said, "John's a huge part of our team, a huge part of our bullpen. He's been a big part of my life this past year, a big part of all of our lives. My heart is with his family, and with him. I really hope everything is all right, obviously."

Aardsma, who is vacationing in Carmel, Calif., said he had no inkling of any problem.

"In the clubhouse he's a great guy, a fun-loving guy. He's full of life. He loved coming to the park every day. He has a great family he absolutely loves. He couldn't wait to see them all the time. He brought them into the clubhouse every chance he could. He always seemed like everything was great. He was so proud of his family and eager to show them off. I know it sounds like a cliché, but this was the last thing I ever saw coming."

"Obviously, it caught me off guard," said Mariners reliever Mark Lowe, who was preparing for teammate Sean White's upcoming wedding when he got the news Thursday. "He's a strong man. I know he's been through a lot. I know he'll pull out from it and be fine."