Percival Nearly Hits the Wall, Then Holds On

Inactive before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Angels have been hyperactive since. General Manager Bill Bavasi put new batteries in his cellular phone Friday and acquired a new left fielder.

The Angels already had something of a logjam at that position, but Gregg Jefferies will move to the top of the list.

Good hit, mediocre field.

Not everyone was pleased.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Todd Greene, who wouldn’t elaborate.

Greene had battled back from the shoulder injury that forced him to give up catching and become an outfielder. He was in the middle of that logjam with Orlando Palmeiro and Reggie Williams, all of whom lose playing time now.

“Those guys have done a hell of a job and this is not to take anything away from them,” Manager Terry Collins said, adding that the switch-hitting Jefferies simply enhances his options. “He’s never been a Gold Glove and never claimed to be, but he can flat-out hit. He’s a very good offensive player who can run and has experience.”

The new left fielder faces a tough opening act. He is scheduled to start today against Pedro Martinez, the Boston Red Sox ace who might leave Jefferies wondering if he made the right decision in waiving his no-trade clause so that the Philadelphia Phillies could send him to the Angels for a player to be named.

No blockbuster, of course, but Bavasi has climbed off the deadline mat to enhance his team’s effort with a persistent effort of his own--limited, as always, by dollars, and the confines of the waiver wire.

“The one thing we don’t want to do is fiddle with a 25-man roster that is doing very good, but this makes us stronger and deeper,” Bavasi said of the Jefferies acquisition. “We want to get as close as we can to matching the Texas offense.”

He meant the Rangers and not the Longhorns, who should have one of the nation’s strongest offenses with Heisman candidate Ricky Williams at running back.

As for the Rangers, they are now three games behind the Angels, who in a sense made two trades Friday, acquiring Jefferies from the Phillies and reacquiring Ken Hill from the disabled list after June 15 elbow surgery. Hill, who had talked the Angels out of the need for another rehab appearance at the minor league level, seems to have known what he was talking about.

He gave up three runs on eight hits in six effective innings of a 7-6 victory over the Red Sox.

His successful return complemented that of Jack McDowell and seemed to underscore Bavasi’s contention that he was justified in not overpaying for a fringe pitcher before the deadline.

The Angels were ripped by media and fans for the failure to deal, and Bavasi acknowledged at the time that there was need for a post-mortem.

Asked Friday if the results of that post-mortem were in, he said: “What we asked ourselves was, should we have bit the bullet and given up more than we intended? I’m glad we didn’t.”

Since the deadline, he has acquired Jeff Juden, Mike Fetters and Jefferies in waiver deals for players to be named (none at the major league level and none considered prospects); brought up Williams, Greene, Troy Glaus and Trevor Wilson from the minors, and released Cecil Fielder and Greg Cadaret.

“We haven’t made the one specific move that would put us over the hump, but we’ve made a lot of small moves that collectively, I believe, have had a positive impact,” Bavasi said.

This latest one, of course, wasn’t greeted that positively--if Greene’s reaction is an accurate measure.

“Basically, I think everyone knows we’re trying to win,” Bavasi said, “but the least of my worries is how anyone reacts to moves that are aimed at helping us win.”

Jefferies, 31, was once considered the phenom of all phenoms.

He was a first-round selection of the New York Mets in 1985 but never quite fulfilled those exaggerated expectations. Nevertheless, he has a .291 career average and was batting .295 with 22 doubles, eight homers and 48 RBI in 124 games with the Phillies, who had no intention of picking up his $5-million option next year--and neither do the Angels. Jefferies received $6 million this year, the final year of a four-year, $20-million deal, and the Angels will pay what’s left of his ’98 salary, less than $1 million.

Of the decision to waive his no-trade, Jefferies told Philadelphia reporters, “It was difficult to leave the guys on this team, but the reality is that I don’t think I was in their game plan beyond this year. I’m going to a first-place team. It’s a good situation for me . . . the best thing for my career.”

Jefferies injured his right ankle colliding with the outfield fence in Cincinnati in May, an injury that continues to restrict his mobility, but Bavasi said he was aware of it and “the fact is, we didn’t get him to play defense.” Collins has Palmeiro and Williams to do that, and he said he will use them in the late innings when the Angels have a lead. He also said there might be instances when he rests Garret Anderson, giving Greene some at-bats in right field.

The displaced Greene wasn’t the only frustrated Angel. Troy Percival, who later wondered why he was asked to pitch with a four-run lead (a non-save situation) considering that he has only so many bullets left for September, reacted angrily after giving up three runs in the ninth, throwing the game ball into the stands and engaging pitching coach Marcel Lachemann in a shouting match on the field as Lachemann tried to calm him down.

Fall is approaching and emotions are rising. Collins had a pregame meeting to warn his Angels against a letdown after their intense performances in New York. He didn’t have to worry. On a night of wheeling and dealing by the closer and general manager, emotions were rife.

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Gregg Jefferies Profile

* BACKGROUND: Born Aug. 1, 1967 . . . 5-10, 184 pounds . . . Bats both, throws right . . . Has played for New York Mets, Kansas City, St. Louis, Philadelphia and now joins Angels in his 12th major league season . . . Entered 1998 with a .291 batting average and averages 10 home runs, 52 RBIs and 59 runs per season.

1998 STATISTICS

* Batting Average: .294

* On Base Average: .331

* At Bats: 483

* Hits: 142

* Runs: 65

* Doubles: 22

* Triples: 3

* Home Runs: 8

* Runs Batted In: 48

* Walks: 29

* Strikeouts: 27