BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Finley Signs 1-Year Deal With Angels Worth $2.5 Million

Left-hander Chuck Finley, a winner of 34 games during the last two seasons, agreed today to a one-year contract with California Angels worth $2.5 million.

Finley more than tripled his salary. He earned $800,000 last season and was 18-9 with a 2.40 ERA. He completed seven of 32 starts and struck out 177 in 236 innings.

Finley, 28, had requested $2.8 million while the Angels had offered $1.75 million.

“He’s progressed very, very well,” Angels general manager Mike Port said. “Certainly, now both in terms of accomplishment and compensation, he has to be considered one of the most foremost pitchers in the game.”

A hearing was scheduled for today in Chicago. Angels vice president Dan O’Brien had breakfast with Finley’s agent, Alan Hendricks, and the settlement talks intensified.

“With the continuance of discussions we’ve had the last couple of days, the agreement was consummated maybe a couple of hours before the hearing was to start,” Port said.

Finley was a first-round selection of the Angels in the secondary phase of the January, 1985 amateur draft.

He was called up to the Angels from Quad City of the Midwest League early in 1986 and appeared in 25 games, all in relief. He was 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA and no saves.

In 1987, Finley was 2-7 with a 4.67 ERA while appearing in 35 games, all but three in relief. In 1988, he became a full-time starter and went 9-15 with a 4.17 ERA and two complete games in 31 starts.

Finley blossomed in 1989, going 16-9 with a 2.57 ERA while completing nine of 29 starts. He struck out 156 in 199 2-3 innings.

National League Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek tripled his salary today when he was awarded an arbitration record $3,335,000.

Drabek, 28, becomes the fourth-highest-paid pitcher in baseball behind Roger Clemens, Dave Stewart and Bob Welch.

Drabek made $1.1 million in 1990 and the $2.25-million raise also is an arbitration record.

In his next-to-last workout before the Dodgers go to Vero Beach, Fla., for spring training, Orel Hershiser threw 50 pitches and 60 long tosses Wednesaday with no discomfort.

“I’m still not having any pain or stiffness,” he said. “I think one day I’d kind of like to have a little, just to know if I’m working hard enough or not. Stiffness is a natural feeling for a pitcher, and I haven’t had any yet. So it’s kind of odd.”