2 legends from Angels' 2002 roster named coaches for SoCal independent league team

The 2002 Angels team is the only squad in the history of the organization to go the distance and bring a World Series Trophy to Anaheim. Since then, fans and owner Arte Moreno have been incredibly fond of the team, coaches, and players that were involved in that championship. Multiple have coached for the Angels, been inducted into the team's Hall of Fame, and maintained roles within the organization.

Two of the most important players on the 2002 were Troy Percival and Troy Glaus. Glaus was the World Series MVP to cap off an all-around remarkable postseason for the third baseman. In the World Series, Glaus racked up ten his, three doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, and walked four times to post a .467 on-base percentage. Percival made three appearances during the World Series, securing the save each time he took the mound for the Angels - including the final out of Game 7 before leaping into the arms of catcher Bengie Molina.

And now, the duo is headed for the dugout in Long Beach.

2 legends from Angels' 2002 roster named coaches for SoCal independent league team

As the Angels' offseason is off to a hot start with their acquisition of Grayson Rodriguez, another baseball team in Southern California is making moves. The Angels brought in Kurt Suzuki to manage, and the Long Beach Baseball Club of the Pioneer League will be hiring Troy Percival to lead their team in their inaugural season. Alongside him, Troy Glaus has been hired as an assistant coach for the yet-to-be-named Long Beach team.

Percival has had his fair share of coaching experience. Immediately after his playing career, Percival joined the Riverside Polytechnic High School baseball team as a volunteer pitching coach. He attended Moreno Valley High School, where he would get his first shot as a head coach in 2012. After two seasons of coaching varsity baseball, Percival made his way to the college ranks.

The University of California-Riverside brought back their former star, as Percival once again went back to his roots. He managed their from 2014 until 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic ended their season early, and then Percival resigned in hopes of helping his son train for his potential big league career. In 2024, Percival returned to coaching as a manager of the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League. Now, he returns home to Orange County alongside Glaus (whose coaching career is light) as they look to turn this new Pioneer League team into contenders in 2026 and beyond.