ANGELS NOTEBOOK: PERCIVAL RETURNS AS A VISITOR.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Troy Percival's old locker in the Angels clubhouse is now occupied by Paul Byrd. His No. 40 is worn by Bartolo Colon. His role as the club's closer is held by Francisco Rodriguez. Percival is a Detroit Tiger now, having signed a two-year, $12 million contract during the winter after the Angels let him go.

Percival arrived at Angel Stadium with his new teammates Friday afternoon to begin a three-game series, but Percival didn't get in quickly. He stopped and chatted with parking lot attendants, stadium workers, anybody he came across when he entered as a visitor the stadium he called home for 10 years.

``The biggest adjustment is not seeing my family for a long time,'' said Percival, who still has a home in Riverside. ``As far as baseball, the mound is still 60 feet, six inches from home plate.''

Percival met with former teammate and close friend Darin Erstad in the weight room Friday afternoon. He talks regularly with Garret Anderson, Adam Kennedy and his former bullpen mates. But he preferred to downplay his return.

``We've already been on a few road trips,'' said Percival, who bought a house in Birmingham, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. ``This just happens to be a familiar place, and I'm playing against friends. I don't have a lot of friends on other teams.''

After the top of the first inning Friday, the Angels honored Percival with a video montage on the stadium videoboard, and the Angel Stadium crowd gave him a standing ovation. Percival got on the top step of the dugout to tip his cap.

--Turf casualty: Utility infielder Lou Merloni has decided to have surgery on his right ankle. Merloni suffered torn ligaments playing on the Metrodome's new FieldTurf last Saturday in Minnesota, the same turf that caused Troy Glaus' shoulder injury early last season.

``When you throw, your feet pivot,'' Merloni said. ``But my foot got locked in the turf. When I did it I knew I did something. I felt it pop and pop back in. It wouldn't have happened on dirt.''