BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : He Leads Team in Enthusiasm

Move over Anthony Robbins, Rex Hudler has his own motivational hour. Hudler’s show began in the clubhouse not long after his ninth-inning home run in the Angels’ 6-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday night at Jack Murphy Stadium.

When he was done, the Angel utility player had himself so fired up he said, “I might not be able to sleep tonight after talking to you guys (reporters).”

You might not believe everything Hudler says, but the important thing is that he believes. If some of his enthusiasm rubs off on his teammates that’s all the better.

“How are we going to lose a game this year?” asked Hudler, who calls himself Rex the Wonder Dog. “We have a good mix of young and old. We’re hungry, hungry to take our division. We’re all polished and ready to go.”

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With Lee Smith in the fold as the club’s closer, the Angels are free to bring promising reliever Troy Percival along slowly. Without Smith, Percival would have been a prime candidate to close. Now, he will be cast in a set-up role along with Mitch Williams.

“To tell the truth, I’m happy to let Lee do his thing,” said Percival, a former catcher at UC Riverside who has yet to make his major league debut. “He’s helped me already and I appreciate that. I didn’t want to bug him, but he approached me. I know he’s not here to teach people.”

Percival was 2-6 with a 4.13 earned-run average at triple-A Vancouver last year.

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Fernando Valenzuela has apparently earned a spot on the Padre roster. The team released Teddy Higuera on Sunday.

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The series moves to Anaheim Stadium for games at 7 tonight and at 1 p.m. Tuesday.