Angels’ Troubles Run the Gamut

Angel closer Troy Percival decided Friday night he could no longer pitch with the terrible pain in his right elbow. He said he would be on the disabled list, and not in the Angel bullpen, beginning today.

Starter Seth Etherton said his arm is tired and useless, and there is a chance he will join Percival on the disabled list.

Late Friday night at Jacobs Field, well after the Cleveland Indians had defeated the Angels, 11-10, on Jim Thome’s two-run homer off Percival in the ninth inning, the Angels’ tattered pitching staff frayed a little further, along with their hopes of continued contention in the playoff race.

Percival (4-5) threw a 2-and-2 curveball that crossed the plate two feet higher than he had hoped and Thome hit it into the bleachers in right-center field. Pinch-runner Bill Selby scored ahead of Thome, through the kind of celebration that has come often at Percival’s expense. He has nine blown saves.

This one, however, was different.

First, his curveball came at the end of an arduous climb for the Angels, who hit through three- and four-run deficits to tie the score in the seventh and take a lead in the ninth. Then, Percival came clean with Manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Bud Black, telling them that months of protecting his surgically repaired shoulder had adversely affected his elbow.

Percival said he expected to have the elbow examined in the next day or two by Dr. Lewis Yocum.

“I’m afraid if I keep going out I’ll do more damage,” Percival said.

The Angels will recall left-hander Juan Alvarez from triple-A Edmonton and close with the best available reliever, including Mark Petkovsek, Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Mike Holtz.

“I’ve been trying to do it, trying to be a hero,” said Percival, whose earned-run average rose to 4.85. “It’s hurting the team. I’ve gotten to the point where the elbow’s just not sound.”

Not long before Percival revealed his injury, Etherton stood in the middle of the clubhouse, said he had been examined earlier in the evening by an Indian team physician, and stated that he would miss at least one start. Matt Wise or Ramon Ortiz will take that start, scheduled for Wednesday.

Etherton gave up 10 hits and eight runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Indians, an outing that created most of a 9-5 deficit after three innings. The Angels tied the score, 9-9, in the seventh inning on a run-scoring single by Troy Glaus, his first hit in 15 at-bats, and a sacrifice fly by Bengie Molina.

In the ninth inning, Adam Kennedy drove in Garret Anderson from third base with a two-out single, and so handed a well-earned 10-9 lead to Percival. Mike Fyhrie, Holtz and Hasegawa had combined on five scoreless innings to get it to Percival, who took the ball, got an out, walked Manny Ramirez and hung a curveball to Thome.

Etherton had started the whole thing, throwing 84 mph fastballs down the middle, try as he might to find a corner. He has suffered from a tired arm for about two weeks, he said.

“Tonight, everything kind of went,” he said. “I had nothing. I don’t know what it is going to take.”

Etherton said his shoulder had “a little tendinitis.” At a point in the second inning, Black was so concerned that he trotted to the mound and asked Etherton if he were hurt. Etherton told him he was fine. Black, seemingly unconvinced, asked again, and Etherton insisted.

Doctors have told Etherton to rest for at least several days.

There appears to be no structural damage in Etherton’s arm, though more tests are sure to follow.

“I’ve been through it before,” Etherton said, “though this is an extreme. I can’t throw a fastball 85 mph.

“It’s frustrating more than anything. We need to get great outings every time out. It’s frustrating when you can’t help out the team at all.”

The Angels are losing pitchers at a time when they can least afford it, at the outset of a stretch of 27 consecutive games against division leaders and wild-card contenders. They count themselves with those clubs, but that is a tenuous posture.

“You do what you gotta do, you know?” first baseman Mo Vaughn said. “There’s two months to go in the season, you know? We put ourselves in the proper position every time. It just hasn’t worked out. The position players have to play our games. You try to do more, it’s not beneficial. Play your game.”

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Another Perci-Fall

Angel closer Troy Percival continued to have his problems against the Cleveland Indians Friday night, giving up a game-deciding two-run homer to Jim Thome in the ninth inning of an 11-10 loss. Percival’s career statistics against the Indians:

Appearances: 24

Innings: 22 2/3

Hits: 23

Earned Runs: 21

Home Runs Allowed: 10

Walks: 12

Strikeouts: 24

Earned-Run Average: 8.75

Win-Loss Record: 0-7

Saves: 6

Blown Saves (1997-2000): 4