Now Percival Feels Relief

Troy Percival said in October that he wanted to pitch for a team that wanted to win.

At the time, he never thought it would be the Angels.

But after signing a two-year, $16-million contract extension to stay with the club through 2004, the 32-year-old right-handed reliever seems to have done a 180-degree turn in his attitude toward the organization.

It was obvious at an Angel media luncheon Wednesday that Percival hasn’t been this excited for spring training in quite some time.

“Not since I was a first-year guy coming in hoping to make a team,” said Percival, who is entering his eighth season with the Angels after being drafted in 1990. “Without question, you can feel the difference. In the past, you’d come in always hoping that something might happen.

“Right now, it’s not about hoping anymore.”

Like many in the Angel organization, Percival is excited about the team’s off-season acquisitions of pitchers Dennis Cook, Aaron Sele and Kevin Appier along with Brad Fullmer, a first baseman and designated hitter.

But the moves weren’t something Percival really expected. He said he would have given it “a 5% chance” at the end of last season during a time he expressed frustration about the team leaking details of confidential contract talks to reporters.

Now, everything seemingly has changed.

“This level of commitment by Disney is beyond anything I’ve experienced as an Angel,” Percival said. “When it comes to making a move later on, it looks like [Angel General Manager] Bill [Stoneman] will have the freedom to put it over the top.”

Percival also was pleased that the team made him feel appreciated for signing the extension.

“They’ve shown me a lot of respect and made me feel like they really wanted me to be here,” he said.

Did it also help that Tony Tavares, who was accused of leaking the contract details, resigned as Angel president on Jan. 4?

“Sure, that played somewhat of a role,” Percival said.

But beyond that, Percival is excited to be surrounded by a talented starting rotation and to have bullpen depth that probably will limit the number of appearances he’ll have to make of more than one inning.

“I will not throw three innings in relief now,” Percival joked with Manager Mike Scioscia.

Scioscia joked back that he couldn’t make any promises, but he also knows that the pitching depth finally could carry the team where it wants to go.

“This is by far the best rotation we’re going to have in our three years here,” Scioscia said.

A key addition is Sele, a right-hander who was 15-5 last season for Seattle.

“I’m as excited as everybody else is,” Sele said. “You can look at any team in this division and make the argument that anyone can win. I think our chances are as good as anybody.”

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Jim Barrero