ANGELS TO FACE DIFFICULT DECISIONS FREE AGENTS GLAUS, PERCIVAL MIGHT BE DISPENSABLE.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

For a team that won 92 games and its first division title since 1986 and attracted a club-record 3.375 million fans, the Angels enter the offseason with a surprisingly long list of questions, particularly for a club that will keep its core largely intact.

But beyond right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, who proved with his .337 average, 39 homers and 126 RBI that he was indeed the greatest free-agent acquisition in franchise history, there are cracks in the infrastructure that must be addressed.

There are crucial decisions to be made on two free agents, closer Troy Percival and third baseman Troy Glaus, who will apparently hit the market with little resistance.

There is the matter of suspended left fielder Jose Guillen, who brought production and petulance in equal doses until he dared challenge the authority of manager Mike Scioscia, who showed that 27 homers and 104 RBI mean nothing if a player puts himself above the team.

There is the matter of finding an appropriate position for do-everything Chone Figgins, whose 17 triples and 34 steals are an ideal fit for Scioscia's go-go offense, but whose jack of all trades, master of none defensive ability was badly exposed in the postseason.

There is the question of whether Garret Anderson, who enters the first year of a four-year, $48 million deal, can hold up in center field at 33. Anderson, who never landed on the disabled list before this season, was limited to 112 games by knee, hamstring and groin ailments, and by an arthritic condition that, before proper medication was found, cost him 43 games while he was on the disabled list.

There is the back end of the rotation, which is crying for an upgrade now that Aaron Sele's three-year, $24 million contract has finally expired.

Despite luring free agents Bartolo Colon (four years, $51 million) and Kelvim Escobar (three years, $18.75 million), the Angels had just two complete games this season, the lowest total in team history, and could use another horse to ease the strain on a talented but taxed bullpen.

This could be a complex offseason for general manager Bill Stoneman, who made waves with his signings of Guerrero, Colon, Guillen and Escobar last winter for a total of $146 million.

If the differences between Guillen, Scioscia and the clubhouse are deemed irreconcilable, Guillen could be traded to his eighth team, looking for yet another fresh start. Anderson could move back to left field and Figgins to center, where he looked more comfortable than the infield. Figgins could be needed in the short term at second base, with Adam Kennedy possibly facing surgery that could force him to miss the first month of next season.

If Guillen doesn't fetch a starting pitcher, the Angels could dip into a free-agent pool that will include Florida's Carl Pavano, Minnesota's Brad Radke, the Dodgers' Odalis Perez, Atlanta's Russ Ortiz and, possibly, Boston's Pedro Martinez.

There will be some financial flexibility. The Angels have committed $59.5 million to eight players in 2005. That will balloon to about $75 million when arbitration-eligible players Jarrod Washburn, David Eckstein, Scot Shields and Jeff DaVanon are factored in, along with a possible $3 million option on catcher Bengie Molina.

Owner Arte Moreno has said he would like the payroll to land between $90 million and $100 million, which will give Stoneman around $16 million to play with.

The biggest question: Spend the money on Glaus and Percival, or save with youngsters Dallas McPherson and Francisco Rodriguez?

``Is it going to be tough? Sure,'' Stoneman said Saturday. ``Whichever way decisions go, it's always tough. But you gotta make 'em.''

Injury-filled seasons for Glaus and Percival only complicate matters.

Percival's elbow barked for a month early in the season, and he posted a 5.59 ERA in May. Surely, this would be his final season, at least with the Angels.

But though Rodriguez, 22, was one of the American League's most dominant relievers, Percival rallied to convert 21 of his last 22 save chances. If the club lets him go, it could be faced with trying to fill Rodriguez's void in the set-up role.

A tough call? Well, consider the Glaus conundrum.

When the 28-year-old third baseman elected to have surgery on his right shoulder in May, the club was chagrined, thinking he could be the designated hitter or play first base through the pain. Glaus maintained he was getting it done so he could return by September and the playoffs.

He did himself one better, getting back by late August. Though he hit just .194 in September and October, his seven homers in that stretch were second only to Guerrero.

Though the Angels hit just .226 in getting swept by Boston, Glaus hit .364, swatted two homers and slugged 1.091, proving once again that power-hitting third basemen are hard to find.

But McPherson was capable if not polished in 16 games at third, and Glaus could command up to $10 million a season, with no guarantee his shoulders could withstand the rigors of third.

``He played it pretty well,'' Stoneman said of McPherson, who hit 43 homers at three levels this season. ``Good players get better with experience. I think he's a pretty good player.''

Whatever they do, the Angels will attempt to tweak a core that achieved one goal but never got on the dominant run expected of a club with a team-record $110 million payroll.

``Our hot streaks would be seven days,'' Stoneman said. ``We never could sustain it. That was a bit of a surprise to us.''

Which means there could be plenty of surprises in the offseason.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2) The Angels must decide if closer Troy Percival, left, and third baseman Troy Glaus are worth re-signing in the offseason.

George Nikitin/Associated Press

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

Box:

WHAT'S ON DECK?