CHICAGO - Phillies general manager Pat Gillick continued to defend Tuesday's trade for troubled reliever Julio Mateo, despite the predictable backlash against a pitcher who allegedly beat his wife earlier this season.
Mateo was charged with punching and biting Aurea Mateo during an argument in the Mariners' team hotel in Manhattan on May 5. He was immediately suspended and then demoted to Triple A Tacoma. The Phillies picked him up shortly before the trade deadline for minor league shortstop Jesus Merchan and assigned him to Double A Reading.
