Percival Could Be Back Way Ahead of Schedule

Troy Percival, on the heels of Tuesday’s 48-pitch bullpen session, is scheduled to throw a simulated game today, and if all goes well, the Angel reliever will probably be activated for Saturday’s game against the Dodgers, a week ahead of schedule.

Percival’s return might also get pushed to Tuesday in Oakland, but either way, Manager Mike Scioscia made it clear that when the veteran right-hander comes back, it will be as the closer, no matter how dominating Francisco Rodriguez has been in Percival’s absence.

“In a perfect world, we’d like to get Troy an inning to get acclimated,” Scioscia said, “but I’ve also seen him come back from injuries and be right on the money.”

Indeed, when Percival returned from a hip injury in early June of 2003, he threw nine straight hitless innings and gave up only three earned runs in 20 innings in June and July.

While Percival, sidelined since June 6 because of an inflamed elbow, would never predict a repeat of such a streak, he was encouraged by Tuesday’s bullpen workout, in which he threw for about 12 minutes, mixing some curveballs with his fastballs.

“I threw eight breaking balls as hard as I could from my natural arm angle, and I haven’t done that in about two years,” Percival said of his three-quarter arm slot. “I’ve been trying as hard as I can to find it, and now I have. It’s not the most artistic thing in the world, but I’ll get it done.”

With Rodriguez emerging as one of baseball’s best relievers, Scot Shields developing into a reliable set-up man and Brendan Donnelly quickly returning to form after missing the first 2 1/2 months of the season, the bullpen would be at full strength for the first time this season if Percival regained his dominance.

Though he has been out for almost four weeks, Percival has no doubt he will quickly regain his closing form.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said. “It would be a different story if I was out all year, but it’s only been a few weeks. Once I know and trust my arm, it’s just a matter of going out and doing it.”

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Oakland right-hander Tim Hudson, who gave up five runs in five innings of the A’s 6-1 loss Tuesday night, criticized Scioscia for badgering umpire Ed Montague into calling a third-inning balk, which contributed to the Angels’ three-run rally.

“I don’t think he’d have called it if the manager was not playing Mickey Mouse baseball from their dugout,” Hudson said.

Scioscia, who called Cleveland reliever David Riske an “idiot” for staring down Jose Guillen after a home run in early June, was not up for a war of words this time.

“I like Disneyland -- I go there as much as I can,” Scioscia said. “I read his comments.... I have the utmost respect for Tim. He’s one of the best pitchers in the game. He’s always had a deliberate set, but [Tuesday] night I thought it was a double stop. It was tough for our baserunners to read, and I think Ed Montague agreed.”

Scioscia denied that he badgered Montague.

“I only told him one time,” Scioscia said. “That was it.”

Oakland Manager Ken Macha was concerned not only by the umpire’s interpretation of the balk rule but by Hudson’s reaction to Scioscia.

“That was bad focus,” Macha said. “His focus should be on making pitches.”

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Jarrod Washburn is recovering “slowly but gradually” from the upper-back and neck spasms that forced him out of Sunday’s game against Houston after only two innings, but the left-hander said he “fully expects” to make Friday’s start against the Dodgers.... Bobby Jenks, one of the Angels’ top pitching prospects, was activated off the disabled list and transferred to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Jenks has missed two months because of a stress reaction in his elbow.