Turnin 2 SS 2b
05-23-2002, 08:36 AM
*MLB.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Troy Percival turned his back and looked away from Carlos Febles for a second.
Percival, the Anaheim Angels' closer, had a one-run lead with two out in the ninth inning and two strikes on Febles, the second baseman for the Kansas City Royals.
He was moments away from preserving a thrilling comeback victory for the Angels, who were down 5-0 to the Royals going into the seventh inning and had just two singles against Paul Byrd, one of the American League's best starters so far this year.
But two runs in the seventh and five in the eighth gave Anaheim the lead, and there stood Percival, composing himself, leading 7-6 with one strike to go.
At that precise moment, another improbable result flashed on the right-field scoreboard:
It read: TB 3, SEA 2, F.
It meant that if Percival could get Febles, the Angels would be 27-17 and only 1 1/2 games behind Seattle, a team that finished 41 games ahead of Anaheim last year.
Percival didn't see the score. All he saw was Febles striking out looking at a fastball on the outside corner.
Back in the locker room, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said it's that steely focus that has made this team a winner.
"Our philosophy is to put all our effort in, play our brand of baseball and let the standings take care of themselves," Scioscia said.
"These guys never think they're out of a game and they never quit until the last out."
Troy Percival
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 236
Position: P
Bats/Throws: R/R
More info:
Player page
Stats
Splits
angelsbaseball.com
According to Percival, they also never think about anything more than the game at hand.
"This is my eighth year in the big leagues, and I've never been in a clubhouse like this," Percival said. "It's really weird to me. Everybody is so even-keeled. You don't see guys getting overexcited. Guys are happy to win, but an hour after the game, that's over and done with. They're already lifting or in the cages or doing some kind of preparation for the next ballgame. This team has more heart and determination than any I've been a part of."
Garret Anderson, whose two-run double in Wednesday's eighth inning proved to be the game-winner, said this year's team is business-like to an extreme.
"It's boring," Anderson said. "For reporters, there's nothing to grasp to write stories about. There are guys in here that get mad from time to time, but it's forgotten quickly. And that's what's always worked for me. We have a common goal here, and that's to move on to the next game."
Lately, most of those next games have been wins.
After going 6-14 to complete the worst start in club history, Anaheim has reeled off 21 wins in the last 24 games to nip at the heels of the Mariners' cleats.
The accomplishments of the run that started April 24 with a 10-6 win in Seattle have turned from good to gaudy:
The Angels are 10 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 21, 1998, when they were 83-73.
The Angels have opened May with a 16-3 record, the best May opening in team history.
Thirteen of their wins have been in comeback fashion, with Wednesday night's five-run deficit being the largest they have overcome.
Since hitting .231 as a team and garnering a 4.80 team ERA in the first 20 games, the Angels have upped their club batting average to .279 and lowered their ERA to 3.85.
After beginning the season 1-8 at Edison Field, the Angels have gone 13-2 at home. Wednesday's victory was their eighth straight in Anaheim.
Still, the only number the players will talk about is 162: the amount of games in a very long season.
"It's way too early," Anderson said. "Way too much baseball left to get excited [about being close to Seattle]. To pick up games is great, though. I think last year we won 10 out of 11 and actually lost ground to them."
Darin Erstad, whose two-run, ground-rule double in the eighth tied Wednesday night's game at 5-5, says the team has a bond that has been strengthened through adversity.
"Every one of us, top to bottom, is playing to win," Erstad said. "We're all pulling for each other. We've been through bad times and good times. We've all grown up together."
And as Percival added, this togetherness in the Angels' camp comes straight from the boss.
"It's the professionalism that Scioscia brings to it that has made this team what it is," Percival said. "Even when we were 6-14, he stayed with us and never doubted what we were going to do. He just stays consistent. That's why he's such a great manager."
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Troy Percival turned his back and looked away from Carlos Febles for a second.
Percival, the Anaheim Angels' closer, had a one-run lead with two out in the ninth inning and two strikes on Febles, the second baseman for the Kansas City Royals.
He was moments away from preserving a thrilling comeback victory for the Angels, who were down 5-0 to the Royals going into the seventh inning and had just two singles against Paul Byrd, one of the American League's best starters so far this year.
But two runs in the seventh and five in the eighth gave Anaheim the lead, and there stood Percival, composing himself, leading 7-6 with one strike to go.
At that precise moment, another improbable result flashed on the right-field scoreboard:
It read: TB 3, SEA 2, F.
It meant that if Percival could get Febles, the Angels would be 27-17 and only 1 1/2 games behind Seattle, a team that finished 41 games ahead of Anaheim last year.
Percival didn't see the score. All he saw was Febles striking out looking at a fastball on the outside corner.
Back in the locker room, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said it's that steely focus that has made this team a winner.
"Our philosophy is to put all our effort in, play our brand of baseball and let the standings take care of themselves," Scioscia said.
"These guys never think they're out of a game and they never quit until the last out."
Troy Percival
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 236
Position: P
Bats/Throws: R/R
More info:
Player page
Stats
Splits
angelsbaseball.com
According to Percival, they also never think about anything more than the game at hand.
"This is my eighth year in the big leagues, and I've never been in a clubhouse like this," Percival said. "It's really weird to me. Everybody is so even-keeled. You don't see guys getting overexcited. Guys are happy to win, but an hour after the game, that's over and done with. They're already lifting or in the cages or doing some kind of preparation for the next ballgame. This team has more heart and determination than any I've been a part of."
Garret Anderson, whose two-run double in Wednesday's eighth inning proved to be the game-winner, said this year's team is business-like to an extreme.
"It's boring," Anderson said. "For reporters, there's nothing to grasp to write stories about. There are guys in here that get mad from time to time, but it's forgotten quickly. And that's what's always worked for me. We have a common goal here, and that's to move on to the next game."
Lately, most of those next games have been wins.
After going 6-14 to complete the worst start in club history, Anaheim has reeled off 21 wins in the last 24 games to nip at the heels of the Mariners' cleats.
The accomplishments of the run that started April 24 with a 10-6 win in Seattle have turned from good to gaudy:
The Angels are 10 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 21, 1998, when they were 83-73.
The Angels have opened May with a 16-3 record, the best May opening in team history.
Thirteen of their wins have been in comeback fashion, with Wednesday night's five-run deficit being the largest they have overcome.
Since hitting .231 as a team and garnering a 4.80 team ERA in the first 20 games, the Angels have upped their club batting average to .279 and lowered their ERA to 3.85.
After beginning the season 1-8 at Edison Field, the Angels have gone 13-2 at home. Wednesday's victory was their eighth straight in Anaheim.
Still, the only number the players will talk about is 162: the amount of games in a very long season.
"It's way too early," Anderson said. "Way too much baseball left to get excited [about being close to Seattle]. To pick up games is great, though. I think last year we won 10 out of 11 and actually lost ground to them."
Darin Erstad, whose two-run, ground-rule double in the eighth tied Wednesday night's game at 5-5, says the team has a bond that has been strengthened through adversity.
"Every one of us, top to bottom, is playing to win," Erstad said. "We're all pulling for each other. We've been through bad times and good times. We've all grown up together."
And as Percival added, this togetherness in the Angels' camp comes straight from the boss.
"It's the professionalism that Scioscia brings to it that has made this team what it is," Percival said. "Even when we were 6-14, he stayed with us and never doubted what we were going to do. He just stays consistent. That's why he's such a great manager."