ANGELS NOTEBOOK: BULLPEN NEEDS NEW LEADER.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Angels are confident they can replace their all-time saves leader Troy Percival on the mound in late innings, and they have the statistics to back it up.

But Percival's departure leaves a crater of leadership in the bullpen and clubhouse, which will be far more complex than handing the ball to Francisco Rodriguez.

On Wednesday, Angels pitchers and catchers trickled into training camp to take physicals and renew acquaintances. For the first time in more than a decade, the ritual went on without Percival, 35, who spent 10 seasons with the Angels, nine as their closer. He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Detroit Tigers after the Angels anointed Rodriguez their new closer.

Oddly enough, the Angels bullpen will be far more flexible and, perhaps, more dominant without Percival, who fought injuries last season and struck out just 33 batters in 49 2/3 innings.

Rodriguez set a club reliever record with 123 strikeouts in 84 innings, and set-up men Scot Shields (109 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings) and Brendan Donnelly (56 in 42) also dominated.

What's more, as manager Mike Scioscia noted Wednesday, all three can work multiple innings and Rodriguez, as with the Yankees' Mariano Rivera, will earn his share of two-inning saves.

But Percival's presence had a profound effect on a bullpen that has been among baseball's best the past three seasons. And Rodriguez, an All-Star at age 22 last season, won't naturally inherit the leadership mantle.

``Percy's departure is definitely felt on the leadership end,'' Scioscia said. ``Right now, there's a void. But as their confidence gets high, it will fill that void. I hope the experience these guys had around Percy will make them step up to that role, like Percy around Lee Smith.

``Does one guy have to step up and be a leader? I think eventually, it will happen, as one guy steps into the closer role. It doesn't always have to be the closer, but a guy like Percy became a leader not only by example, but by being the guy for so long.''

Percival's mentoring helped turn around Donnelly's career after a decade in the minor leagues. Kevin Gregg, a rookie last season, noted how Percival could always tell him when the bullpen phone would ring with a request for Gregg to warm up.

Shields said watching pregame video of hitters with Percival was invaluable.

``We've been bulldogs down there the last three years, and that's because of his mentality,'' Shields said. ``I think we've learned enough to where we'll be OK. I don't think any of us can fill the void of Percy. It's going to be different, but I think we're up to the challenge.''

Percival was close with Donnelly and Ben Weber over the years, less so with Rodriguez, who Percival has said did not often hit him up for advice. That's not to say K-Rod didn't learn anything from Percival.

--Late start: Rodriguez will miss today's first workout for pitchers and catchers because of a delay processing his visa in Venezuela.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com