Tigers Sign Percival to Two-Year Deal

Saying he spurned more lucrative offers because he “saw what I needed to see,” Troy Percival signed a two-year, $12-million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday to become their closer.

Detroit was supposed to be the first stop on a four-city tour for Percival, but after the former Angel closer met Tuesday with Detroit Manager Alan Trammell and other club officials, he canceled scheduled visits with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants.

“I didn’t need to see anything else, because I think Detroit is headed in the right direction,” Percival said in an introductory news conference at Comerica Park. “I’m looking forward to coming here and bringing Detroit baseball back to what it used to be.”

Percival, who ranks 12th on the all-time saves list with 316, said he wouldn’t have signed with the Tigers if he didn’t think they could win the American League Central this season. Detroit finished fourth in the division last year with a 72-90 record, though that was a 29-game improvement over 2003.

Percival cited the organization’s signing of All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez before last season and a strong defensive infield that includes shortstop Carlos Guillen and first baseman Carlos Pena as reasons for optimism.

Ugueth Urbina, the incumbent closer who recorded 21 saves last season, will become Percival’s setup man barring a trade, giving the Tigers a formidable late-inning combination.

Percival, 35, recently rejected the Angels’ offer to return as the setup man to Francisco Rodriguez but said he harbored no animosity toward the organization with which he recorded the final out of the 2002 World Series.

“I think Anaheim will tell you right now that they know I can do the job,” said Percival, who will make $6 million in each of the next two seasons. “They made a business decision to go with Frankie in that role, and fortunately the Tigers have made a business decision to go with me as their closer.”

Percival’s quick commitment was surprising considering he also was scheduled to meet with teams that had more realistic playoff expectations and said he “had other offers with more money on the table.”

Percival said he has been so impressed with the Tigers that he has given former teammate Troy Glaus a sales pitch of sorts, telling the free-agent third baseman that Detroit “is not at all what he thinks it is.”

“He knows me and knows my personality and never thought I’d be the kind of guy who would come here,” Percival said. “I’m not going to pressure him to come here, but I hope he does at least consider it.”

Percival said the impressions he had of Detroit as a visiting player, of busy highways and empty seats at Comerica Park, changed dramatically once Tiger officials gave him a more extensive tour of the city and its surrounding neighborhoods.

“It’s been nothing but a positive experience,” Percival said. “That’s why we got it done so quickly.”

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Los Angeles joined Anaheim in opposing Angel owner Arte Moreno’s proposal to change the name of his team to the Los Angeles Angels. In a nonbinding resolution, council members decreed that “Los Angeles is currently home to one and only one Major League Baseball team, and that is the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

Meanwhile, the team has offered a compromise to Anaheim, saying it would change its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

City officials rejected that too, and reiterated that they will sue the Angels for breach of contract if they remove the city’s name from the team.

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Free agent Adrian Beltre and his agent, Scott Boras, met with Dodger owner Frank McCourt and General Manager Paul DePodesta in an effort to gauge the organization’s course.

Beltre left the meeting satisfied that McCourt will maintain the Dodger payroll at about $100 million.

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The Dodgers signed five minor league free agents: pitchers Ryan Rupe and Buddy Carlyle; infielders Jose Flores and Tony Schrager; and outfielder Tydus Meadows.

Rupe, 29, spent last season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japan Pacific League. He had a 1-4 record with a 6.67 earned-run average in six games.

Rupe has a 24-38 record and a 5.85 ERA in 89 big league appearances with Tampa Bay and Boston.

He became the first player from the Devil Ray farm system to reach the majors, and signed as a free agent with the Red Sox organization in 2003. He spent the majority of that season at triple-A Pawtucket, where he was 8-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 20 appearances.

Carlyle, 26, spent last season in the New York Yankee organization, finishing 4-0 with an 0.72 ERA in eight games at double-A Trenton and 8-5 with a 4.05 ERA for triple-A Columbus.

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The San Diego Padres signed infielders Damian Jackson and Jesse Garcia to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.... The Milwaukee Brewers signed catcher Pat Borders to a minor league contract Wednesday.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Franchise Closers

Only three pitchers in major league history have recorded more saves for a team than Troy Percival, right, who signed Wednesday with Detroit, did with the Angels. The top 10:

*--* Pitcher Team (Years) Saves Trevor Hoffman San Diego (1993-) 391 Mariano Rivera N.Y. Yankees (1995-) 336 Dennis Eckersley Oakland (1987-95) 320 Troy Percival Angels (1995-2004) 316 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City (1988-99) 304 John Franco N.Y. Mets (1990-2004) 276 Rick Aguilera Minnesota (1989-99) 254 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City (1979-88) 238 Billy Wagner Houston (1995-2003) 225 Dave Righetti N.Y. Yankees (1979-90) 224

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