Scioscia Sticks to His Relief Plan

Years ago, before there were closers, setup men and left-handed specialists, a reliever who breezed through the eighth inning with a three-run lead the way Francisco Rodriguez did Friday night -- when the right-hander needed eight pitches to retire the Orioles in order -- would have remained to pitch the ninth.

Today, with strictly defined relief roles and an almost militaristic bullpen chain of command, managers feel compelled to use their closer whenever there is a save situation, because closers are paid to save games and often feel slighted if they are passed over in such situations.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia stuck to the book Friday night, bringing closer Troy Percival in for the ninth, even though there was evidence to support sticking with Rodriguez:

Percival has struggled in Camden Yards, where he has a 6.30 earned-run average in 20 innings; he blew a save Tuesday in New York; Baltimore had trimmed a 9-0 deficit to 9-6, and Rodriguez seemed to stem the Orioles’ momentum during a dominant eighth.

Percival, fighting a mechanical flaw in his delivery, was rocked for three runs and four hits in the ninth, and the Orioles tied the score, but the Angels won, 10-9, in 10 innings.

Was Scioscia too much a slave to the save? The manager said no.

“You want to keep the back end of the bullpen as fresh as possible -- you don’t want to extend guys and slowly drain them by going two-plus innings,” Scioscia said. “I have a lot of confidence in Frankie and Percy, and if both are fresh and I have a chance to use both, they’ll both be available the next night.”

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Percival spent much of Saturday’s pregame watching tapes of himself from 1996, and while the 34-year-old was particularly amused when an informational graphic appeared on one clip stating, “Today is Percival’s 27th birthday,” he was more interested in the mechanics he employed during one of his best seasons, when he had a 2.31 ERA, 36 saves and 100 strikeouts in 74 innings.

The veteran right-hander said that during some light side sessions he will try to correct the mechanical flaw that has affected the location of his fastball and curve.

“I’m trying to be the old me,” Percival said. “My velocity and health are as good as they’ve been in years. I just need to concentrate on throwing quality pitches, being aggressive, going after hitters. I was a thrower [Friday night], not a pitcher.”

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Troy Glaus, who has a sprained ligament in his right knee and a sore right shoulder, hit off a tee and took ground balls at first base Saturday at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.... Tim Salmon, who was pulled from the first game of his Class-A rehabilitation assignment after two at-bats Friday night, was still feeling discomfort in his left knee Saturday. He will be re-evaluated Monday.