Percival Is Hardly Afraid to Shoulder Angel Hopes

OAKLAND — He has 40 saves this season and 250 in his career, and it can be said that Troy Percival’s milestones represent mileposts on the Angels’ playoff drive.

Of course, they also represent how far he has come since his 1999 shoulder surgery and how far he might go if the shoulder holds up and the heat lasts.

Only 20 relievers have registered 250 saves, as Percival did in preserving Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory over the A’s, but at 33, consistently reaching the mid-90s on the speed guns and restricting opposing hitters to a .186 average, he seems to be only in mid-climb.

“I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to pitch again after the surgery,” Percival says. “Now I’m past 200 and looking at 300.

“Hopefully, I can pitch long enough to get another 150 saves. I’d like to pitch another three or four years, at least.

“If I can hang on long enough to keep this team in the playoff hunt every year, I’d be happy.”

In the high-wire world of the closer, amid the high-octane intensity of the division battle with the A’s, Percival sat and waited Wednesday night for a call that didn’t come.

The Angels took an early lead against a struggling Barry Zito, but Mickey Callaway and Dennis Cook couldn’t hold it.

The rallying A’s clubbed four home runs in a 7-4 victory that re-tied the Angels for the division lead and left Percival sitting.

Of course, the heavy work is ahead.

There are 10 games left in the regular season, and it would require a collapse surpassing anything even in Angel history for the veteran closer to miss his first playoff.

“Maybe, but I don’t think any of us consider ourselves there yet,” Percival said, clearly reading from the Mike Scioscia script, but who can blame him?

The manager’s judicious use has helped keep him strong. The script has been beneficial in more ways than one.

While A’s closer Billy Koch has appeared in 78 games, becoming the first reliever Wednesday to save 40 and win 10 in the same season, Percival has been in 56.

He has pitched more than one inning only four times, never been asked to pitch with his team behind, has converted all but four of his 44 save chances, is second in the league in saves to the 43 by Minnesota’s Eddie Guardado and leads the statistics-based fireman-of-the-year standings, featuring a 4-1 record and 1.66 earned-run average in addition to the 40 saves, two shy of his career high.

“He’s pitched at a very high level all year,” Scioscia said, “and I don’t think there’s been even two days where he said he was down and simply couldn’t pitch.

“That’s a testament to how hard he works, his durability, and, I feel confident in saying, how we’ve used him. I also think the fact that our entire bullpen has pitched so well has helped Percy. Everybody has a role. We haven’t been forced to extend him.”

A largely anonymous bullpen has compiled the best record in the league.

In Percival’s view, however, the performance goes beyond the statistics.

“They’ve set an aggressive tone,” he said. “They’ve done a great job throwing strikes and attacking hitters. It’s great to come in after them.”

Who knew for sure that Brendan Donnelly and Ben Weber and Scot Shields, among others, would respond as they have?

Then again, who knew in early December that the Angels would have 95 wins on Sept. 19 and be tied for the division lead?

At that uncertain point, an unhappy Percival seemed likely to demand a trade, Darin Erstad was about to be sent to the Chicago White Sox for a package heavy on prospects, and there was no indication Disney was going to step up financially and make the needed improvements.

What ensued, Percival said in happy reflection Wednesday, seemed to ensue virtually overnight.

Disney voided the Erstad trade, strengthened the rotation by signing Aaron Sele and trading for Kevin Appier, and Percival signed a two-year, $16-million extension after the departure of club president Tony Tavares, who had raised his ire by allegedly leaking confidential contract material.

“I say thanks every day for four big moves,” Percival said, referring to the acquisitions of Sele, Appier, Cook and Brad Fullmer. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them.”

Where Percival would be with another 150 saves is at 400, trailing only Lee Smith (478), his 1995 mentor with the Angels, and John Franco (421).

“But by then,” Percival said, “it’s pretty safe to assume that Trevor Hoffman and Robb Nen will already be there. I mean, I hope to pitch until my arm falls off, but at this point, considering my mechanics, I don’t think we’re looking at a 20-year career. I use everything in my body on every pitch. I have nothing left. It’s hard to imagine, considering how good I feel right now, that I’ll feel otherwise in three or four years, but I’ll be 36 then, and with my mechanics ... well, not too many guys are fortunate to keep going. Then again, who knows?”

Percival, for instance, could be a different pitcher then.

Maybe he could be throwing the changeup he works on every day. Maybe he will have better control of his curve.

“I don’t anticipate losing my velocity,” he said, “but I’m working on different pitches that might help me make a smoother transition if it comes to that.”

In the meantime, of course, Percival isn’t called the Bull for no reason. He will be powering his way toward that next milestone.