Arm Troubles May Cause Percival To Retire

[ThomasTomasz]

LAKELAND, Florida (Ticker) - Detroit Tigers closer Troy Percival hoped that a long layoff would help his aching right arm. Unfortunately, his injury proved to be too much to overcome.

Percival, who is in 10th place on the all-time saves list with 324, experienced pain while throwing a simulated game at the Tigers' spring training facility Sunday and admitted that his major league career is likely over.

The once hard-throwing righthander tore a muscle in his elbow last season, his first with Detroit. He was limited to just 26 games and did not pitch after July 9.

Although the muscle is still torn, Percival strengthened the muscles around it in the offseason and hoped to pitch again.

"I always wait for something miraculous to happen," Percival said. "I probably don't think its going to happen, but I'll keep doing what they ask to do."

Percival holds the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's franchise record with 319 saves in 11 seasons.

A sixth-round pick in 1990, Percival made his major league debut for the then-California Angels in 1995 and was on the mound when the team clinched its only World Series title in 2002.

After making 579 appearances with the Angels, Percival signed a two-year, $12 million contract with Detroit prior to the start of the 2005 campaign. He recorded eight saves with the Tigers before suffering his elbow injury

"I've been fighting all spring," Percival said. "I thought I could give this organization an opportunity to make a decision. I tried to go back to the arm angle I'm accustomed to and it's not there.

"I've been in pain every day. It's just the level of pain, whether you can deal with it or not. Changing my mechanics to do what I was doing out there, I can get by. But I can't throw the way I'm accustomed to throwing, which is three-quarters, getting my arm away from my head. I tried a few times to get my arm away from my head today and it was just not possible."

The Tigers anticipated that the 35-year-old Percival would not be able to return, signing closer Todd Jones to a two-year contract in the offseason.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

[ThomasTomasz]

What a shame, but it was clear from the get-go that this marriage wasn't going to work with the Tigers and Percival. Really, his last season with the Angels in 2004 saw his velocity diminish, which is a big part of his pitching. He looked human that year, and the arm troubles struck in 2005. I can't say I feel sorry for the Tigers- they walked into this by giving him a two year contract, but I hate seeing a player of Percival's caliber not being able to walk out on their own terms.

[RockSports17]

Percival was a closer that Tigers really needed. I don't think it's their fault, or anybodys fault. Percival would've been used in a small role this season anyways. Probably MR. He wasn't going to back us up in the closers role, because Fernando Rodney basically has that slot filled. Not to mention, Percival's retirement basically opens up another pitching slot for somebody who is healthy and can help out the Tigers.

It was only a matter of time before Percival left. Luckily he knows it's time to retire.