Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Pitcher John Wetteland Arrested on Child Sex Abuse Charge

Editor's note: This story will be updated as more information is made available.Rangers Hall of Fame pitcher John Wetteland was arrested Monday on child sex abuse charges.John Karl Wetteland, 52, is accused of continuously sexually abusing a child under 14, according to Denton County jail records. The Trophy Club resident posted $25,000 bond.A long-time born again Christian, he has also coached baseball and taught Bible Studies at Liberty Christian in Argyle, but apparently has no connection to the school at this time. School officials did not immediately return requests for background. Wetteland 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 during the 2006 season for a serious of practical jokes and transgressions at the behest of then-manager Frank Robinson."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.  Continue reading...