OLD RELIABLE

When discussing Angel pitchers, we’ll call it the litany of the disabled:

In the last year, Troy Percival spent six weeks on the disabled list because of weakness in his shoulder. Ken Hill was out a month because of a strained shoulder. Mike James missed a month because of a strained elbow. Rich DeLucia was gone for six weeks because of an aneurysm in his arm. Pep Harris was sidelined six weeks by biceps tendinitis. Jack McDowell has been disabled since April 27 because of inflammation in his elbow, and James could be back on the disabled list today after tearing a tendon in his forearm Monday.

Obviously, the human arm wasn’t designed to hurl objects at 90 mph.

Remarkably, 35-year-old left-hander Chuck Finley has had no disabling pitching-related problems in a 13-season major league career. Which is not to say he hasn’t been injured.

In the last 13 months, he has suffered:

* A broken eye-socket, when a bat slipped out of James’ hands and flew into a net batting cage and then into Finley’s face;

* A broken left wrist, when he fell awkwardly while backing up home plate;

* One heck of a bruise just above his left elbow, when he was hit by a line drive last week.

“I guess if I can stay out of the way of bats, balls and myself, I’m OK,” he says, smiling.

OK, sticks and stones will break his bones, but they seem to be the only things that can stop Finley from marching to the mound and grinding out another victory. Finley, who will start Saturday’s game against Detroit, has won a club-record 14 consecutive decisions in an 18-start stretch over two seasons, three shy of the American League record.

The Angels have won every game he has started during the streak, averaging almost six runs while opponents have pushed across fewer than 2 1/2.

See, Finley says, he’s just been lucky.

“You look back over this whole thing and you’ll see that just about everything that can go right has gone right since it started. My stars are just lined up right.”

On this point, there’s dissension in the clubhouse.

“Yeah, that’s it,” reliever Mike Holtz says, laughing. “He’s lucky. The man is what professional baseball is all about. I mean, he’s been doing this since this organization started, right?

“But really, it’s the way he goes about his job. It’s the preparation, that’s what it’s all about. He does exactly what he has to do to be ready to do his job. This is a guy we all should do everything we can to pattern our career after.”

Sure, Finley sticks to his workout regimen religiously, maintains a high level of fitness and no doubt takes great care of his left arm. But there’s also that really nasty split-finger. Now there’s a pitch that will improve a pitcher’s fortunes.

“It’s vicious,” closer Percival said. “I don’t want to jinx him, but since I’ve gotten here, it’s gotten even better every year. Now, it’s almost always in a good location and he sets it up better. Sometimes, it’s just disappearing.

“He doesn’t throw 98 [mph], but he can be totally overpowering.”

Just ask the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Rumor had it they thought Finley was scuffing the ball after he made many of their batters look feeble during an eight-strikeout shutout April 17. Some pitchers encourage opponents to spend energy wondering about hidden nail files and sandpaper, but Finley was offended.

“Tell ‘em I don’t need to cheat,” he barked.

Sometimes, however, he does need to battle, and few do it better. Manager Terry Collins knew of Finley’s reputation as a grinder, but didn’t really appreciate it until he had a view from the dugout.

“Chuck takes whatever he has that day and competes with it,” Collins said. “When he has the good stuff, he goes out there and sails. When he doesn’t, he goes out there and pitches.

“And he never lets one hitter or one inning affect his whole game. It seems simple--you can’t change what’s already happened anyway, and a lot of people tell a pitcher that--but it never sinks in for some guys.

“The other thing is, he never gives in and always seems to make pitches in big situations. If it’s a 3-2 count with two guys on, he makes a quality pitch, he doesn’t just say, ‘I can’t walk this guy; here it is down the middle.’ And if he walks the guy, then he goes and gets the next guy.”

Percival says Finley’s tenacity under pressure is probably the single greatest key to the streak.

“This guy is physical and he’ll fight,” Percival said. “Just the other day he gave up two walks and a hit in one inning without allowing a run. He fights his way out of trouble as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.”

With much prodding and begrudging acknowledgment that 14 consecutive victories can’t be entirely attributed to good luck, Finley--who heads the team’s all-time list for victories, games and innings pitched--ponders the reason for his latest success.

“I guess if I had to pick one thing, I’d say it was staying aggressive, going after guys, trying to get it around the plate and making them put it in play,” he said. “The other thing is figuring out what you have to work with that day, deciding how you’re going to attack a game and then having the confidence to stay with it.

“But it’s really just been one of those times when everything has been going pretty good.”

Finley, who will get two extra days of rest because of the bruise below his elbow, says he doesn’t think the slight alteration in routine will be a problem.

“I feel fine, and it’s not like I was out 10 or 12 days,” he said. “I’m going out there expecting to do the same things, but I can’t tell you what will happen.”

Maybe not, but when Finley takes the mound these days, what transpires is pleasingly predictable for the Angels. This season, he’s 4-0, leads the league in earned-run average at 1.79 and is third in strikeouts with 47. Since June 27 of last year, his ERA is 2.26 and he has given up three or fewer runs in 15 of 18 starts.

He has given up one run or none in 11 starts.

So it’s hardly surprising that Collins says he wakes up in a good mood on the days Finley is scheduled to pitch. He’s convinced the whole team takes on a positive attitude.

“I can’t say what they’re thinking,” Collins said. “But if I was a player, I’d be coming to the park thinking, ‘I’ll take our chances today.’ ”

Collins also believes his batters are less likely to be trying too hard, figuring they don’t have to score a bunch of runs to win.

First baseman Darin Erstad says he has never really thought about that. He just knows he loves to play when Finley pitches.

“There’s a good reason he’s accomplished what he has for so long,” Erstad said, shaking his head in awe. “He’s got his act together. He comes out there and you can see it in his eyes.”

And in the box score.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

FINLEY’S STREAK

JULY ‘97: 7-0

AUGUST ‘97: 3-0

APRIL ‘98: 4-0

HIS NEXT GAME

WHO: Detroit Tigers

WHERE: Edison Field

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports West

Tough to Beat

Chuck Finley has not lost a decision in his last 18 outings (having won 14 of them), and the Angels came out on top in every one of the starts:

*--*

Date Opponent Outcome IP H R ER BB July 1, 1997 at Colorado Won, 4-1 7 1/3 5 1 1 3 July 6, 1997 vs. Seattle Won, 8-0 9 4 0 0 3 July 12, 1997 at Oakland Won, 6-3 6 7 1 1 4 July 16, 1997 vs. Detroit Won, 5-3 7 7 3 3 0 July 20, 1997 vs. Toronto Won, 9-5 6 1/3 9 5 5 4 July 25, 1997 at Boston Won, 5-4 7 7 1 1 3 July 29, 1997 at Cleveland Won, 7-2 9 3 2 2 2 Aug. 4, 1997 vs. Chicago White Sox Won, 4-1 8 5 1 1 3 Aug. 9, 1997 vs. Baltimore Won, 5-4 8 5 1 1 3 Aug. 15, 1997 at Milwaukee Won, 5-3 7 8 3 3 2 Aug. 19, 1997 vs. N.Y. Yankees ND (W 12-4) 2 2/3 3 4 4 3 April 1, 1998 vs. N.Y. Yankees Won, 4-1 7 4 1 1 6 April 6, 1998 vs. Boston ND (W 2-1) 9 4 1 1 April 12, 1998 at Cleveland Won, 12-1 7 1/3 7 0 0 1 April 17, 1998 vs. Tampa Bay Won, 5-0 9 6 0 0 0 April 22, 1998 vs. Baltimore ND (W 7-6) 6 1/3 10 5 5 3 April 27, 1998 at Baltimore Won, 3-1 8 4 1 1 6 May 2, 1998 vs. Chicago White Sox ND (W 5-3) 3 2/3 4 2 2 3

Date SO July 1, 1997 6 July 6, 1997 13 July 12, 1997 5 July 16, 1997 8 July 20, 1997 8 July 25, 1997 9 July 29, 1997 9 Aug. 4, 1997 4 Aug. 9, 1997 4 Aug. 15, 1997 3 Aug. 19, 1997 3 April 1, 1998 7 April 6, 1998 2 10 April 12, 1998 4 April 17, 1998 8 April 22, 1998 6 April 27, 1998 9 May 2, 1998 3

*--*

TOTALS: 14-0, 127 2/3 innings, 102 hits, 51 walks, 119 strikeouts, 2.26 ERA.