TEMPE, Ariz. -- He was already the guy the Angels signed after they didn't get Mark Teixeira or CC Sabathia.
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| Brian Fuentes recorded 30 saves with the Rockies last season. (Getty Images) |
Now, Brian Fuentes is the guy wearing Troy Percival's number.
Yes, there he is in the Angels spring camp, the closer wearing No. 40.
"I've seen that before," pitcher John Lackey said with a smile Sunday morning. "We had some good luck with a closer wearing 40. I hope that works out again."
Percival, of course, was on the mound for the biggest moment in Angels history, the final out of Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. He saved 316 games during 10 seasons with them.
It's not out of the question that someday they'll retire No. 40 in his honor.
But it's not retired now. Bartolo Colon actually wore it for a while after Percival left, and when Fuentes asked for it after signing with the Angels on Dec. 31, general manager Tony Reagins told him that was fine.
First, though, Reagins told Fuentes that 40 was Percival's number.
"I didn't really want him to put any more pressure on himself," Reagins said. "I just wanted to make sure he knew."
He didn't know, not until Reagins told him. He knew about Percival, of course, but for Fuentes, 40 was simply the same number he'd worn with the Rockies.
Besides, if there's a number that puts pressure on Fuentes, it's 62, the number of saves K-Rod had for the 2008 Angels. Or $17.5 million, the amount the Angels committed to Fuentes over the next two years.
It's the most money the Angels gave any free agent this winter. It's nowhere near the $160 million they offered Teixeira, but Fuentes was still part of the Angels' recovery plan after the Yankees outbid them for the first baseman.
They entered the winter with their eyes on the big fish, Teixeira and Sabathia. When they lost out, they took their money and signed Fuentes and outfielders Juan Rivera and (eventually) Bobby Abreu. They also locked up starting pitcher Ervin Santana, with a four-year, $30 million deal announced Saturday.
"This is really a deeper club than we've had," manager Mike Scioscia said. "And that can be attributed to the fact that Tony was ready (when Teixeira signed with the Yankees)."
Fuentes was always part of the backup plan, and the Angels were always part of his free-agent plan. He grew up in Northern California as an A's fan, but he saw the Angels as a team he really wanted to pitch for.
"They win," Fuentes explained. "I was looking for a team with a good bullpen, and a good rotation. They were a natural fit."
The Angels figured the same thing. They were prepared to go into 2009 looking at Jose Arredondo, Scot Shields and others as possible closers, but once the Teixeira money was available to spend elsewhere, they were happy to get a veteran to do the job.
It fit, just as the number seems to fit.
An Angels closer wearing No. 40?
We've seen that before. It worked before.
Maybe it'll work out again.
FaulkU22 
