12/28/2007 10:00 AM ET Finley could be in fine company Lefty's stellar career earns debut spot on Hall of Fame ballot By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com The player most often associated with the Angels in their various incarnations over the years is legendary Nolan Ryan, who launched his Hall of Fame career in Anaheim after a youthful fling in New York with the Mets. Ryan is a familiar entry in the Angels' record book. But in the categories of innings pitched and victories, the big Texan is No. 2, trailing a gentleman from Louisiana. For 14 seasons, with good, mediocre and bad teams, Chuck Finley took the ball for the Angels and made good things happen. In terms of giving customers their money's worth, he was as dependable as Disneyland, right down the road. Finley, a 6-foot-6 lefty with a mid-90s fastball and lethal split-fingered fastball, threw 2,675 innings in an Angels uniform, winning 165 games. Right behind him, with 2,181 1/3 innings and 138 wins, is Ryan. Finley is surpassed only by The Express in franchise history in strikeouts (2,151 to 2,416). Nice company, Chuck. The Angels' general manager in Finley's prime, Bill Bavasi, compared his ace to a pair of Dodgers legends, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. "They knew how to get the job done and were tough about it -- and they were quiet about it," said Bavasi, now general manager of the Mariners. "For me, he's a great representative for our ballclub. He seems to be a throwback." Having retired in 2002, Finley is making his first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot dispensed to voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Finley's career lasted 17 seasons, and he ranks 23rd all-time in strikeouts with 2,610. At his five-year peak -- from 1989 through 1993 -- he was among the elite pitchers in the game. In his 1992 edition of The Baseball Book, Bill James ranked Finley second among all American League starters, behind Roger Clemens. The previous year, James had written: "Finley is not only the best left-handed pitcher in the American League, but the only candidate for that distinction ... Finley over the last two seasons has the best ERA of any Major League starting pitcher (2.48). Orel Hershiser is at 2.49." 2008 Candidates The 2008 ballot features 25 candidates, with 14 returnees and 11 newcomers. ‧ Brady Anderson ‧ Harold Baines ‧ Rod Beck ‧ Bert Blyleven ‧ Dave Concepcion ‧ Andre Dawson ‧ Shawon Dunston ‧ Chuck Finley ‧ Travis Fryman ‧ Rich Gossage ‧ Tommy John ‧ David Justice ‧ Chuck Knoblauch ‧ Don Mattingly ‧ Mark McGwire ‧ Jack Morris ‧ Dale Murphy ‧ Robb Nen ‧ Dave Parker ‧ Tim Raines ‧ Jim Rice ‧ Jose Rijo ‧ Lee Smith ‧ Todd Stottlemyre ‧ Alan Trammell Finley was 16-9 with a 2.57 ERA in 1989, 18-9 with a 2.40 ERA in 1990. He went 18-9 again in 1991, meaning he was 36-18 over a two-year period with teams that finished two games below .500. "We've got a saying around here," Angels teammate Chili Davis once said of Finley. "Fin-to-win. Fin's the man." Finley made it to the postseason as a 23-year-old rookie with the Angels in 1986, appearing in three games of the American League Championship Series against Boston and holding the Red Sox scoreless with one hit in two innings. He didn't return to the postseason until 2001, after moving to Cleveland as a free agent in 2000. Dealt to St. Louis in July 2002, Finley finished his career in style, beating the Giants in Game 3 of the NLCS that year in San Francisco in his final Major League appearance. "You cannot give him enough credit," Cards manager Tony La Russa said of Finley. "First couple innings, he made great pitches -- then he started pitching even better. He showed up so big for us. He was great." The big man from the Bayou with the handsome smile and easy manner finished his career with a 200-173 record. He notched his 2,610 strikeouts in 3,197 1/3 innings, fashioning a 3.85 ERA. Those overall numbers are comparable to those of Hall of Famer Jesse Hanes, who was 210-158 with a 3.64 career ERA. Five times an All-Star, Finley left his mark as one of the game's most durable craftsmen, a performer admired by opponents, respected by managers and loved by teammates. "His makeup goes back to is upbringing," said Marcel Lachemann, one of Finley's managers with the Angels. "He was taught to work hard and do whatever you have to do to get the job done." Five times Finley finished in the top 10 in the AL in ERA, and three times he was in the top five. Reflecting a consistency that made him a leader on any staff he graced, Finley won at least 15 games seven times, reaching double figures 12 times across 14 seasons starting in 1989. The man hated to come out of games. He delivered at least 200 innings nine times and led the AL in complete games in 1993 with 13. The first manager to sense Finley's toughness was Gene Mauch, who summoned the young southpaw with only 50 innings of professional experience to Anaheim during the 1986 pennant race. In 25 games, all in relief, Finley's 3.30 ERA across 46 pressure-packed innings established him at 23 as a star on the horizon. Finley became entrenched in the rotation two years later. He went 16-9 with nine complete games and a 2.57 ERA -- second-best in the league -- during his breakthrough 1989 season. It was batterymate Bob Boone who convinced Finley that he'd make the big leap to stardom by learning how to effectively use the inner part of the plate and by moving hitters off the plate when necessary. On May 21, 1992, the Angels' team bus crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike traveling from New York to Baltimore. Manager Buck Rodgers suffered rib, knee and elbow fractures and was forced to take a leave of absence, missing about three months. Teammates hailed Finley as heroic when he rushed to the aid of Rodgers and other Angels personnel after the accident, reaching the scene in a second bus. The Angels struggled through the '90s, but in 1997 they put it together and appeared capable of challenging Seattle in the AL West. But Finley broke his left wrist backing up home plate on a routine play, his season-ending injury a critical blow for the Angels as they finished second. Finley's final seasons in Anaheim were Ryan-esque: great numbers, but not enough wins to show for his efforts. He struck out a career-high 215 batters in 238 innings in 1996, yet his record was 15-16. Two years later, he racked up 212 strikeouts with a 3.39 ERA -- and finished 11-9 in 34 starts. Finley signed with Cleveland as a free agent in 2000. Despite his 16 wins, the Indians were unable to repeat as AL Central champions. They made it to the postseason in 2001, Finley losing both his starts to the Mariners in the ALCS. He was dealt to St. Louis for Coco Crisp in 2002 -- reaching the postseason again. He is the only pitcher to strike out four hitters in the same inning more than once, something he accomplished three times in the span of one year -- May 12, 1999 to April 16, 2000. This was generally attributed to the amazing bite on his split-fingered fastball, a pitch that would dive into the dirt, eluding both batter and catcher. Finley was selected by the Angels in the 15th round of the 1984 Draft out of Northeast Louisiana University, but he did not sign. The Angels chose him again in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the 1985 Draft. --

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