Baseball Guru
02-06-2002, 11:52 AM
Agreement extends Percival's contract through 2004 season
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
Good Housekeeping hasn't yet been heard from.
But the Angels got the Troy Percival Seal of Approval yesterday, when the closer agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in the Anaheim bullpen through the 2004 season.
Percival is the Angels' dean, his seven seasons in an Anaheim uniform making him the club's senior member. Not too long ago, prospects of that career stretching beyond 2002 seemed remote.
Even before venting late-season frustration over having details of his contract negotiation leaked to the media, Percival had talked about leaving as a free agent in search of a situation that offered him a chance to win.
General Manager Bill Stoneman's active offseason must've taken care of that concern.
"Well, I don't know what role any of that played. You'd have to get that from him," Stoneman said. "I said last fall that I wanted to keep him with the Angels.
"I'm glad we were able to work out an agreement to keep him here. I'm happy we were able to get it done."
On Oct. 23, the Angels had exercised the option in Percival's contract that will pay him $5.25 million in the coming season.
The extension is for $16 million, with salaries of $8 million in both 2003 and 2004, according to The Associated Press.
Percival thus agreed to a deal comparable to the one the Angels had extended last summer. When details of those talks became known, however, Percival wowed to leave when able to.
But he was just as quick to reverse his stance following the January 4 resignation of Tony Tavares as President of Anaheim Sports, the entity which also governs the NHL Mighty Ducks.
"I'm not a knee-jerk reaction kind of guy," Stoneman said. "When all that stuff was going on, I just said, 'Okay, we'll see how it plays out.'"
But the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive to Stoneman's moves in the last five weeks. He signed free-agent pitchers Aaron Sele and Dennis Cook, and turned deals for another veteran starter (Kevin Appier) and a bona fide DH (Brad Fullmer).
"From what I've heard, I know our players now really like out chances for 2002," Stoneman said.
"We got the players' attention, and the fans', too. I'm getting calls and emails I'd never gotten before."
A four-time All-Star, Percival posted 39 saves last season and has totaled 144 in the last four seasons.
He broke his own club mark ecord for save percentage (.929) by converting 39 of 42 opportunities, and also set personal bests in fewest walks (18)and home runs allowed (3).
The Angels were 47-0 when he entered the game with a lead.
At 32 still possessing the heat to strike out 71 batters in 57 2/3 innings, Percival has blown away 531 batters in 431 career innings.
During his seven-year career, he has also held batters to a collective .181 average,
In other words, he can be virtually untouchable.
And for other teams who may have been coveting him, for three more seasons, he now is.
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
Good Housekeeping hasn't yet been heard from.
But the Angels got the Troy Percival Seal of Approval yesterday, when the closer agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in the Anaheim bullpen through the 2004 season.
Percival is the Angels' dean, his seven seasons in an Anaheim uniform making him the club's senior member. Not too long ago, prospects of that career stretching beyond 2002 seemed remote.
Even before venting late-season frustration over having details of his contract negotiation leaked to the media, Percival had talked about leaving as a free agent in search of a situation that offered him a chance to win.
General Manager Bill Stoneman's active offseason must've taken care of that concern.
"Well, I don't know what role any of that played. You'd have to get that from him," Stoneman said. "I said last fall that I wanted to keep him with the Angels.
"I'm glad we were able to work out an agreement to keep him here. I'm happy we were able to get it done."
On Oct. 23, the Angels had exercised the option in Percival's contract that will pay him $5.25 million in the coming season.
The extension is for $16 million, with salaries of $8 million in both 2003 and 2004, according to The Associated Press.
Percival thus agreed to a deal comparable to the one the Angels had extended last summer. When details of those talks became known, however, Percival wowed to leave when able to.
But he was just as quick to reverse his stance following the January 4 resignation of Tony Tavares as President of Anaheim Sports, the entity which also governs the NHL Mighty Ducks.
"I'm not a knee-jerk reaction kind of guy," Stoneman said. "When all that stuff was going on, I just said, 'Okay, we'll see how it plays out.'"
But the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive to Stoneman's moves in the last five weeks. He signed free-agent pitchers Aaron Sele and Dennis Cook, and turned deals for another veteran starter (Kevin Appier) and a bona fide DH (Brad Fullmer).
"From what I've heard, I know our players now really like out chances for 2002," Stoneman said.
"We got the players' attention, and the fans', too. I'm getting calls and emails I'd never gotten before."
A four-time All-Star, Percival posted 39 saves last season and has totaled 144 in the last four seasons.
He broke his own club mark ecord for save percentage (.929) by converting 39 of 42 opportunities, and also set personal bests in fewest walks (18)and home runs allowed (3).
The Angels were 47-0 when he entered the game with a lead.
At 32 still possessing the heat to strike out 71 batters in 57 2/3 innings, Percival has blown away 531 batters in 431 career innings.
During his seven-year career, he has also held batters to a collective .181 average,
In other words, he can be virtually untouchable.
And for other teams who may have been coveting him, for three more seasons, he now is.