M's Notebook | Team will reactivate reliever Mateo today

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mariners relief pitcher Julio Mateo is to join the team's Class AAA affiliate in Tacoma today and be reactivated tomorrow.

The Mariners suspended Mateo for 10 days without pay, demoted him to the minors and last week placed him on the AAA Temporarily Inactive List after his May 5 arrest in New York for assaulting his wife. But the team will now take him off that list, saying it is satisfied his counseling for domestic-violence issues has gone well.

"Mateo has continued to voluntarily work with his counselor," the team said in a statement, "and the Mariners have been advised by her that he is working diligently and is ready to be returned to the work environment."

Mateo has a June 15 court date in Manhattan on a charge of third-degree assault for an alleged attack that occurred at the Mariners' team hotel. The prosecution says that Mateo punched his wife, Aurea, in the eye, choked her and bit her lip, causing a cut that required five stitches after she said she was leaving him.

The Mariners' decision to reinstate Mateo came the same day the Devil Rays dealt with an explosive domestic-violence story on the front page of the St. Petersburg Times regarding highly regarded rookie Elijah Dukes.

According to the article, a restraining order was issued against Dukes by his soon-to-be ex-wife, NiShea. It quoted from a graphic voice recording left on her answering machine — said to be from Dukes — in which she is warned that she and her children will both wind up "dead".

The paper published a text-message photo of a handgun said to have been sent by Dukes to his wife. Court documents cited in the story say the restraining order was granted after Dukes visited the middle school where she teaches, banged on her classroom door and threatened to kill her.

Unlike the Mariners' handling of Mateo's case, the Devil Rays have not taken action. No charges have been filed against Dukes.

"The Devil Rays organization takes these types of allegations very seriously," said a statement put out by the team, "but at this point it remains a private matter between Elijah and his family. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide ongoing assistance to Elijah."

Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon kept Dukes out of the lineup on Wednesday, but said he remained available and could play today.

"I was concerned about him and what he would be faced with tonight specifically," Maddon said. "I just thought it was the appropriate thing to do."

Reitsma on DL; Green up

A weary Mariners bullpen saw Chris Reitsma placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and reliever Sean Green recalled from Tacoma. Reitsma has been bothered by a sore elbow, though the impact of his loss won't be as severe now that rookie Brandon Morrow has usurped him as the team's primary eighth-inning setup man.

Morrow has tossed 13-1/3 consecutive scoreless innings — a team high — over his last 11 appearances.

"I've just kind of been keeping myself out of trouble," Morrow said. "I haven't been walking as many guys, I don't think. They haven't been stringing together a lot of stuff."

The biggest change Morrow has seen two months into his big-league career is in his ability to deal with pressure situations.

"It's being more comfortable out there," he said. "Not getting nervous, or anxious or any of those kinds of things."

Mariners lefty reliever George Sherrill sees plenty of parallels between Morrow and what Mark Lowe brought to the squad last season. Both made the most of their opportunities.

"The only difference is Lowe had a bit more minor-league experience," Sherrill said. "They both seem to go out and go after hitters."

Notes

• Morrow and fellow rookie pitcher Sean White were called over by veteran right fielder Jose Guillen in the clubhouse before Wednesday's game. Guillen handed the pair a Bose portable stereo, told them to assemble it and watch over it on team trips.

• Mariners manager Mike Hargrove has opted to shave the goatee he'd sported since the first day of spring training. No, it isn't a superstition thing, just a razor mishap on the manager's part.

"I screwed up this morning," he said. "I was trying to trim it and took a big gash right out of it."

For the record

Streak: W2

Home: 12-11

Road: 9-10

vs. AL West: 8-7

vs. L.A.: 1-5

vs. Oakland: 4-1

vs. Texas: 3-1

vs. AL East: 7-5

vs. AL Central: 5-7

vs. NL: 1-2

vs. LHP: 8-3

vs. RHP: 13-18

Day: 7-7

Night: 14-14

One-run: 4-5

Extra innings: 0-0