BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Finley Will Go on Disabled List

Chuck Finley, who underwent off-season surgery on his left big toe and sat out his first scheduled start of the season after hyper-extending the toe while running the bases during the Freeway Series, will be put on the 15-day disabled list today, retroactive to April 6, the Angels announced.

Finley threw Sunday for the first time since April 5, the day of the injury, in what Manager Buck Rodgers described as a good workout. But the Angels decided to put him on the disabled list, in part because he was favoring the toe.

“His velocity was pretty good, better than we expected,” Rodgers said. “There’s still a little bit of discomfort, and his delivery is a little ragged.”

The Angels also put Scott Bailes, the only left-hander in their bullpen, on the disabled list because of a strained right hip. Left-hander Steve Frey of triple-A Edmonton joined the team Sunday to replace him and pitched the ninth inning.

Julio Valera, the right-hander acquired from the New York Mets in the Dick Schofield trade Sunday, will probably take Finley’s next turn in the rotation, against the Rangers on Wednesday in Texas. Scott Lewis, a right-hander who has been working out of the bullpen and who started in Finley’s place last Thursday, will be available in case a replacement is needed for Mark Langston in his next turn. Langston left Sunday’s game after five innings because of an injury to his left hip.

Finley, 18-9 last season despite pitching much of the year with a splintered small bone in the toe, will be eligible to come of the disabled list on April 22.

“Chuck could be back at the end of the road trip,” Rodgers said. “I think he’ll be OK when he comes off.”

Bailes said he injured his right hip while warming up during Tuesday night’s season-opener, in which he pitched one inning in relief.

“I felt a little pop in my hip, and I went ahead and threw,” he said. “I didn’t feel too bad throwing that night, but the next morning, I felt (pain).”

Bailes also pitched a third of an inning Friday. He was put on the disabled list retroactive to Saturday.

Frey, 28, whose contract was purchased from Montreal on March 29, has been a reliever his entire career. He was 0-1 with a 4.99 earned-run average in 31 games for the Expos last season, and also appeared in 30 games with triple-A Indianapolis.

Rene Gonzales of triple-A Edmonton joined the team Sunday to replace Schofield. He started at third and had a double and a three-run home run in four at-bats.