Dickson Looks Like a Starter

Rookie Jason Dickson took another huge step toward securing a spot in the rotation, giving up two runs and five hits in five innings of the Angels’ 12-5 exhibition loss to the Seattle Mariners on Friday at Tempe, Ariz.

Facing a lineup of Seattle regulars, Dickson retired the side in order three times and struck out Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner looking in the second. His only blemish was in the third, when he gave up four hits, including Ken Griffey Jr.’s run-scoring single on a 0-2 pitch.

Dickson has been the Angels’ most effective and consistent starter this spring, with a 3.21 earned-run average in four games.

Manager Terry Collins said, “[Dickson] deserves to be in the rotation.”

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The prognosis for closer Troy Percival is good--he said his arm feels great, he’s expected to resume throwing Monday and should return to the mound by Wednesday--but the right-hander might be kind of grumpy for a while.

Percival has been told to give up two of his daily staples, coffee and chewing tobacco, because they may have contributed to his health problems.

“They constrict the blood vessels and cause your veins to shrink up,” said Percival, who drinks about seven cups of coffee a day during the season and is usually wired by the time he takes the mound in the ninth.

“Giving up chewing tobacco will be no problem. That’s just something I do. But coffee is something I need. I’ll just have to start drinking decaf.”

Percival experienced severe back spasms and numbness in his arm Wednesday, and an examination by Dr. Lewis Yocum on Thursday ruled out blood clots or an aneurysm. But Percival was found to have some blood-flow problems in his arm and is being treated.