Radio Team Will Return Next Year

The Angels plan to pick up one-year options on the contracts of radio announcers Rory Markas and Terry Smith, returning the duo to the booth for the 2004 season. An announcement is expected before the end of this season.

The Angels hired them before the 2002 season, after Mario Impemba and Daron Sutton left for television jobs in other cities. Markas and Smith drew mixed reviews and jelled slowly, but team officials believe they have improved over time.

While Markas and Smith can forever treasure their calls of the 2002 World Series, Impemba now calls games for what could be the worst team in major league history. As the voice of the Detroit Tigers, he enjoys working for his hometown team, but he can’t help kicking himself over the timing of leaving Anaheim just before the Angels won and the Tigers turned from bad to unwatchable.

“I thought about that every game of the playoffs,” Impemba said. “But spending 10 years in the minor leagues helps you realize how lucky you are to be here.”

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While closer Troy Percival has spoken several times this week about the possibility of retirement when his contract expires after next season, he clarified his comments Friday by saying he has made no decision to retire then. If the Angels would like to sign him for 2005, he said, he would like to stay. However, he said, he does not plan to initiate any discussions about a contract extension.

“The way my arm feels, I could play for quite a bit longer,” he said. “I would be content with what I’ve done in my career if next year is the last year. I certainly won’t force the hand of the owner. The Angels have been incredibly good to me.”

Percival, a four-time All-Star, isn’t sure he would want to play for another team. He replaced Lee Smith as the Angel closer in 1996 and has recorded at least 27 saves in every season since then. He will make $7.5 million next season, when he will be 35, and the Angels could have more affordable alternatives in Brendan Donnelly and Francisco Rodriguez.

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Bobby Jenks extended his streak of consecutive innings pitched without giving up an earned run to 29 2/3 Thursday, but Manager Mike Scioscia said it would be “a reach” for the Angels to promote the 100-mph fireballer or fellow double-A standouts Jeff Mathis and Dallas McPherson when rosters expand in September. The Angels hope to place Jenks, who sat out two months because of an elbow injury, in winter ball so he can accumulate innings.

The Angels have assigned Mathis, a catcher, infielders McPherson and Casey Kotchman and outfielder Nick Gorneault to the developmental Arizona Fall League.