Chuck Finley
Chuck Finley | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. | November 26, 1962|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
May 29, 1986, for the California Angels | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 28, 2002, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 200–173 |
Earned run average | 3.85 |
Strikeouts | 2,610 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
Charles Edward Finley (born November 26, 1962) is an American former
Baseball career
Finley was born in
Finley began his professional baseball career in 1985 with the
California Angels / Anaheim Angels
Finley made his MLB debut with the Angels on May 29, 1986, during a 7–4 loss to the
Finley pitched to a 2–7 record with a 4.67 ERA in 1987, appearing in 35 games including three starts at the end of the season.[8] The 32 relief appearances he made were the last of his major league career, as he was subsequently used exclusively as a starter.[7] During 1988, Finley made 31 starts, accruing a 9–15 record with 4.17 ERA.[7] His first MLB win as a starting pitcher came on April 13, a 5–2 win over the Chicago White Sox,[9] and later that month he recorded his first complete game, a 6–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30.[10][11]
Finley was selected to the MLB All-Star Game in both 1989 and 1990.[7] In the former season, he was 16–9 in 29 starts with a 2.57 ERA, while in the latter season he was 18–9 with a career-low 2.40 ERA in 32 starts.[7] He received one vote in 1990 Cy Young Award balloting for the American League (AL), with the award going to Bob Welch of the Oakland Athletics.[12] Finley again was 18–9 in 1991, albeit with a higher ERA of 3.80.[7] His ERA further increased to 3.96 in 1992, and his record fell to 7–12.[7]
Finley led the major leagues in complete games in 1993, with 13, en route to a 16–14 record with a 3.15 ERA in a career-high 251+1⁄3 innings pitched.[7] In the strike-shortened 1994 season, he led the AL in starts (25) and innings pitched (183+1⁄3) while going 10–10 with a 4.32 ERA.[7] Finley was selected to his third and fourth MLB All-Star Games in 1995 and 1996, winning 15 games each season, against 12 losses in 1995 with a 4.21 ERA, and 16 losses in 1996 with a 4.16 ERA.[7] Finley became a free agent for the first time following the 1995 season, and was re-signed by the Angels.[2]
In 1997, the team changed its name from California Angels to Anaheim Angels. During
After the 1999 season, Finley again became a free agent, and did not return to the Angels.[2] In his 14 seasons with the team, he accrued an overall record of 165–140 with 3.72 ERA in 2,675 innings pitched; he won 15 or more games six times and pitched over 200 innings eight times.[7]
Cleveland Indians
Finley signed with the
St. Louis Cardinals
Finley was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 19, 2002, for minor-league outfielder Luis Garcia and a player to be named later.[2][18] Outfielder Coco Crisp was sent to Cleveland in early August to complete the deal,[2] making his MLB debut later that month.[19] Finley went 7–4 with a 3.80 ERA in 14 starts through the remainder of the season.[7] In the 2002 postseason, Finley started one game of the 2002 National League Division Series, getting a no decision as the Cardinals swept the Arizona Diamondbacks.[7] In the 2002 National League Championship Series, he won his only start, a 5–4 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 3,[7][20] as the Cardinals were eliminated in five games.
In November 2002, Finley filed for free agency.[21] He remained unsigned into the 2003 season,[22] and did not play again professionally.[7] Overall, during his 17 seasons in MLB, Finley compiled a record of 200–173 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.376 WHIP.[7] Defensively, he had a .907 fielding percentage, while offensively he had three hits in 53 at bats for an .057 batting average.[7] He was only ejected from two MLB games, one each in 1990 and 1991.[2]
Finely became eligible for the
Personal life
As of 2021[update], Finley lives in Newport Beach, California.[23]
Marriage
Finley was married to actress Tawny Kitaen from 1997 to 2002. They had two daughters.[24] Finley and Kitaen were featured together in the 1999 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[25][26]
On April 4, 2002, Finley filed for divorce three days after Kitaen was charged with committing domestic violence against him, twisting his ear and having beaten him repeatedly with a stiletto heel in the arm, leg and foot while he was driving a car in Orange County, California, two weeks earlier. In the divorce filings, he stated, "I am fearful that (Kitaen)... will harm herself or will harm others, including me or including my children." He received a temporary restraining order preventing her from seeing him and he received temporary custody of the children. During hearings on the domestic violence charge of spousal abuse, Kitaen initially pleaded not guilty but admitted that she was addicted to prescription medications which she had taken for two years for migraines, and voluntarily entered both substance abuse treatment and anger management classes for 52 weeks to get the charges dropped.[27][28][29][30] Tawny Finley, in a declaration to the Orange County Superior Court, claimed Finley used steroids, among other drugs. She also claimed he bragged about being able to circumvent MLB's testing policy.[31] When told of his wife's accusations, which also included heavy marijuana use and alcohol abuse, Finley replied: "I can't believe she left out the cross-dressing."[32]
As Finley took the mound[clarification needed] for a April 16, 2002, road game against the Chicago White Sox, the Comiskey Park musical director took a subtle dig at Finley's messy divorce,[28] and played "Here I Go Again" by the band Whitesnake, referencing Kitaen's appearance in that band's videos and her previous marriage to the band's lead singer, David Coverdale. Lasting only 1+2⁄3 innings, Finley gave up nine runs (eight earned) including two home runs.[33] The musical director was later fired, and the White Sox apologized.[34]
Finley's third daughter was born in 2007 from a relationship at the time.[35]
In popular culture
In the show
Honors
Finley became eligible for the
and was dropped from future consideration for falling below the 5% threshold required to remain on the ballot.Finley was inducted to the
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-inning strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
References
- ^ The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 39. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Chuck Finley". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Area sports (column)". Shreveport Journal. Shreveport, Louisiana. May 28, 1985. p. 16. Retrieved June 20, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Chuck Finley Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Finley jumps from Q-C to majors". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. AP. May 26, 1986. p. 19. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Detroit Tigers 7, California Angels 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Chuck Finley Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "The 1987 CAL A Regular Season Pitching Log for Chuck Finley". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "California Angels 5, Chicago White Sox 2". Retrosheet. April 13, 1988. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "California Angels 6, Toronto Blue Jays 1". Retrosheet. April 30, 1988. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "The 1988 CAL A Regular Season Pitching Log for Chuck Finley". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "1990 Awards Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Cactus League: Angels". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. March 18, 1997. p. 32. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Finley Ends Rehabilitation in Style". Los Angeles Times. April 11, 1997. p. 47. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Four Strikeouts in One Inning". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- Whitehorse, Yukon. CP. September 7, 2001. p. 40. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Finley to get Double-A rehab start". Chillicothe Gazette. Chillicothe, Ohio. July 14, 2001. p. 8. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Luis Garcia Minor, Mexican, Winter & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Coco Crisp". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "St. Louis Cardinals 5, San Francisco Giants 4". Retrosheet. October 12, 2002. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Several Cardinals File to Become Free Agents". The Herald. Mascoutah, Illinois. November 7, 2002. p. 10. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Shaikin, Bill (June 26, 2003). "Angel Report (column)". Los Angeles Times. p. D5. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tawny Kitaen: Family & Friends Celebrate Her Life". TMZ. May 27, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (May 9, 2021). "Tawny Kitaen, '80s rock video star and 'Bachelor Party' actress, dies at 59". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ Merron, Jeff (2003). "SI undressed". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Chuck Finley". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Battered Husbands Often Afraid to Admit Abuse". ABC News.
- ^ a b Finley Files For Divorce 2 Weeks After Alleged Dispute With Wife
- ^ Stay away from brawny Tawny
- ^ Tawny Kitaen's divorces: Tragic story of '80s music video vixen's marriages with David Coverdale, Chuck Finley
- ^ Rush, George (16 May 2002). "PITCHER, WIFE PLAY HARDBALL IN DIVORCE". New York Daily News. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ Reilly, Rick. "Too short for a column:Won't you help Brian Cushing?".
- ^ Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox Box Score, April 16, 2002
- ^ Caple, Jim (April 2002). "Who let the prudes out?". ESPN.com. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ ocfamilycourt
- ^ Darryl Morden (August 8, 2010). "'Burn Notice' TV Star By Day, Cult Film Hero By Night". Buzzzine. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011.
- ^ Charles 'Chuck' Finley
- ^ Murphy, Mike (July 24, 2009). "'Burn Notice': Who is Chuck Finley?". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, California. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
And to hear Bruce Campbell (who plays Sam) tell it, Chuck Finley was a friend of his dad's back in the day.
- ^ "2008 Hall of Fame Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame: California Angels pitcher Chuck Finley". Paul Letlow's Louisiana Sports Shorts. March 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via blogspot.com.
- ^ "Chuck Finley". lasportshall.com. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "ULM Retires Jerseys of Baseball Standouts Ben Sheets and Chuck Finley". ulmwarhawks.com. November 4, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Angels Hall of Fame". MLB.com. Los Angeles Angels. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Chuck Finley records four strikeouts in one inning from MLB via YouTube (May 12, 1999; Angels vs. Yankees)
- Chuck Finley K's four in top of 3rd from MLB via YouTube (April 16, 2000; Indians vs. Rangers)