Nerve Problem Sidelines Percival

A nerve conduction test of reliever Troy Percival’s sore right shoulder Wednesday showed a slowing of the nerve and the Angels decided to put their star closer on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 7.

Percival also underwent an MRI during a series of tests at Centinela Hospital and results of that test were normal.

“It’s sort of like if you pinched off part of a garden hose and restricted some of the flow of water,” trainer Ned Bergert said. “You need the impulse of the nerve to fire the muscle.”

Percival, who has suffered from weakness in the shoulder since early in spring training, will undergo further tests and receive electric stimulation therapy to improve nerve response. He will also attempt to strengthen the shoulder with weight training and exercise.

Before Wednesday’s game against the New York Yankees, Angel officials were saying that Percival’s condition would be reevaluated daily, but Manager Terry Collins apparently knew what was coming.

“My worst-case scenario for this is that we lose him for 15 days,” Collins said. “For 15 days, we could make adjustments. We have guys like Mike James who can get the job done. But after that, it would just be too much to ask. Troy’s too good. You just don’t find a replacement for one of the best closers in the game.”

After further discussions between Angel team physician Lewis Yocum and General Manager Bill Bavasi, it was decided Percival would go on the DL and the team recalled left-hander Darrell May from Vancouver to fill his spot on the roster.

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Collins’ hopes of transforming the Angels into terrors on the basepaths has produced mixed results, but the manager mostly likes what he sees.

“We’ve been picked off a couple of times, but that’s going to happen when you’re pushing it,” he said. “Did you see Todd Greene going from first to third [Tuesday] night? And that was against [strong-armed Yankee right-fielder] Paul O’Neill.”

Aggressive baserunning was a primary focus during spring training and the impact of all that emphasis has clearly carried over to the first two weeks of regular-season play.

“It’s a whole lot easier to have them aggressive and then get them to slow down a little, than it is to start slow and then try to initiate it,” Collins said, smiling. “And this has been really fun to watch for me.”

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Darin Erstad, who had a scab on his lip from diving for a ground ball at first base Tuesday night and a sore finger he jammed sliding headfirst into third during the Angels’ game-tying rally in the ninth inning, was a late scratch from the lineup. “He looks like he lost a fight,” Collins said. . . . Second baseman Luis Alicea, who made a brief appearance in extra innings Tuesday night, said he had more flexibility in the finger he dislocated during batting practice Monday and expects to be back in a starting role Friday in Cleveland. . . . Bullpen coach Joe Coleman is leaving the team because of the death of his father, Joe. Joe Coleman pitched 10 years in the major leagues between 1942 and 1955 with Philadelphia, Baltimore and Detroit. He had a lifetime record of 52-76 with a 4.38 earned-run average. Mike Couchee will join the Angels in Cleveland today and serve as bullpen coach until Coleman returns.