With Finley Out, Angels Lose Footing : Starter’s Toe Injury in First Inning Opens Door for Royals, 4-2

The longest trip of the Angels’ season is one game old, but already, it’s getting longer.

Chuck Finley, the winningest pitcher in the Angels’ starting rotation, had to be removed in the first inning of Monday night’s 4-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals after just 17 pitches.

The symptom: Stinging pain in the fourth toe of Finley’s left foot.

The diagnosis: Possible stress fracture, contingent on further X-rays.

The consequence?

If it’s a stress fracture, the Angels don’t even want to think about it.

“It’s too soon to start speculating,” said Roger Williams, the Angels’ physical therapist. “The (initial) X-rays were negative. There was not an obvious break.”

But, Williams added, “A stress fracture is not going to show up on an X-ray. A bone scan would have to be done. If there is a stress fracture, no, he wouldn’t be able to pitch with it.”

Additional steps will be taken after the Angels’ training staff consults today with team physician Lewis Yocum.

“We have to determine if more tests are needed or not,” Manager Doug Rader said.

And so begins the trip that could very well make or break the Angels in their chase of the Oakland Athletics in the American League West. Fifteen games in 15 grueling days, with the Angels trudging through Kansas City, Texas, Boston and New York before coming up for air the day after Labor Day.

And on the first day, the Angels fell a game behind Oakland when they:

--Lost to Kansas City for the sixth consecutive time at Royals Stadium.

--Lost right fielder Claudell Washington in the fourth inning because of an apparent case of the stomach flu.

--Lost a chance to throw out Bo Jackson on a fourth-inning stolen base attempt when catcher Lance Parrish cocked his arm and caught home-plate umpire Dave Phillips in the mask, resulting in no play and an eventual Kansas City run.

--Lost a run in the fifth inning on a controversial call by Phillips, who ruled Royal catcher Mike Macfarlane had successfully tagged Jack Howell before losing his grip on the ball during a sprawling play at home plate.

--Handed Kansas City two runs in the fifth after the Royals loaded the bases on an error by third baseman Bobby Rose, a ball that glanced off Rose’s glove and a bunt that Parrish failed to field cleanly.

“Crazy game,” Parrish said. “You don’t expect things like that to happen . . . “

Then, with a half-smile, he added, “but, that’s what makes this game so great .”

If ever an Angel trip got off on the wrong foot, this was it. And Finley’s injury helped ruin an anticipated showdown against Kansas City’s Bret Saberhagen--both pitchers were trying for their 15th victory--before the first inning was history.

Finley first felt the pain warming up in the bullpen. It wasn’t long before the sensation became obvious to every player and coach on the field.

“I saw where a couple of times he winced when he threw the ball,” Parrish said. “It was the foot he uses to push off the rubber. You could tell it was causing him a lot of pain.”

Rader said he could tell as much by Finley’s third pitch.

“I saw the expression on his face and then I noticed how his delivery deteriorated because of it,” Rader said.

With the count 3-1 to Kansas City’s leadoff hitter, Kurt Stillwell, Rader sent Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann to the mound for closer observation. Finley threw a couple of warmup tosses and Lachemann gave him the OK to continue.

Stillwell then hit a triple off the base of the center-field wall.

Finley got the next batter, Kevin Seitzer, to pop to first base, but yielded a run-scoring ground-out to George Brett. Then, he threw two balls to Bo Jackson.

Lachemann returned to the mound and Finley was through.

Within minutes, Finley was on his way to nearby St. Luke’s Hospital for X-rays.

Saberhagen (15-5) limited the Angels to six hits in eight innings, with Brian Downing driving in both runs with his 10th home run and a sacrifice fly. Rose might have driven in another, if not for Phillips’ call on Howell in the fifth.

With Howell on third base, Rose lofted a fly ball to right field, prompting Howell to tag up and break for home. Pat Tabler made a strong throw to the plate and Macfarlane tried to make a sweeping tag on Howell, who dove head-first for the plate.

As Macfarlane rolled over, Phillips waved Howell out--just as the baseball was popping out of Macfarlane’s glove. Rader and Angel third base coach Moose Stubing immediately rushed down the line to protest, claiming Macfarlane hadn’t maintained possession.

Phillips asked for a second opinion from third-base umpire Al Clark, who also determined Macfarlane’s tag was good.

Deprived of one scoring opportunity, the Angels quickly devised one for Kansas City in the fifth. First, Rose botched a leadoff grounder by Frank White. Then, he failed to make a leaping catch of a line drive by Macfarlane, having the ball tick off the top of his glove for a single.

Finally, Parrish bobbled a bunt by Stillwell . . . and the bases were loaded with no outs.

Seitzer singled home one run, Brett drove in another with a sacrifice fly and the Angels were suddenly down, 4-1.

“Counting the top of the inning, that was a three-run swing,” Rader lamented. “It came down to the way a few balls were handled--and, consequently, that was the ballgame.”

Angel Notes

Angel third-base coach Moose Stubing, on the Jack Howell-Mike Macfarlane play in the fifth inning: “The rule says there has to be possession. (Macfarlane) caught the ball, made the tag, rolled over and when he hit the ground, the ball bounces up in the air. Where’s the possession there? The play was still one.” Added Howell: “Usually on that kind of play, you have to show the ball--you have to bring it out of the glove and show the umpire. You always see that kind of play, with the umpire winding up, winding up--and then he sees the ball and makes the call. Did (Macfarlane) show the ball? If the rule says he has to show the the umpire, then I would think I’d have to be ruled safe.”

Bo Jackson was credited with his 24th stolen base of the season, soon to score his 66th run, when Angel catcher Lance Parrish had his throw attempt thwarted by home-plate umpire Dave Phillips. Instead of releasing the ball, Parrish’s right hand hit Phillips in the face, knocking off the umpire’s mask. Parrish never let go of the ball on the play, thus, according to the catcher, removing the possibility of an interference call. “If I would’ve thrown the ball, (Phillips) would’ve been able to do something about it,” Parrish said. “But he told me that because I didn’t throw the ball, there was nothing he could do.” From second base, Jackson scored on a bloop double by Kansas City’s next hitter, Jim Eisenreich.