Angels Let Finley Down Again, 5-1 : Baseball: They commit four errors in loss to Tigers, bringing to 17 the number of miscues during the pitcher’s starts.

It was no time to be diplomatic, and Angel Manager Buck Rodgers was in no mood for joviality Saturday, not after this miserable day.

Rodgers showed up at at Tiger Stadium and discovered that bullpen stopper Joe Grahe might be headed to the disabled list, and then watched in disgust as the Angels performed their imitation of the 1992 Dodgers in their 5-1 defeat to the Detroit Tigers.

The Angels, who couldn’t score runs for Jim Abbott last season, now can’t catch the ball for starter Chuck Finley. They committed four errors Saturday, providing Finley with yet another frustrating loss.

They have made 17 of their 35 errors (49%) in Finley’s starts this season--including 13 in his last four starts--leaving Rodgers disgusted.

“We were (horrible) today,” Rodgers said, “mentally and physically (horrible). If we ever learned to catch a ball for Finley, maybe we’d have a chance to win a game.

“It’s one of those things that’s not funny anymore. It seems like there’s some kind of conspiracy, but if I didn’t know for a fact there wasn’t, I’d think there was.

“I don’t know what’s worse, not scoring runs for Abbott last year or making errors this way.”

Rodgers started to walk away, stopped, and said: “I think it’s got to be more frustrating this way.”

Finley yielded only six hits in his seven-inning stint, but with four errors accounting for three unearned runs--one each by catcher Greg Myers, right fielder Tim Salmon, third baseman Rene Gonzales and Finley--he never had a chance. Fifteen of the 21 unearned runs the Angels have given up this season have come when Finley pitches.

“I’ve never seen it happen so frequently,” said Finley (5-5), who has a 3.04 earned-run average. “It seems like it happens from the first pitch to the last pitch. We’ve been playing so well, and to just give away a game like that, is tough.

“I mean, we didn’t look good from the first pitch on. It just eats away at you. It was ugly, just plain ugly.”

Finley also realizes that the Angels (28-24) could soon find themselves in a precarious situation, depending on the fate of Grahe, who was scheduled to return to Los Angeles today.

Grahe, whose right shoulder began throbbing after he returned to the team hotel Friday night, was found to have tendinitis by Detroit physician Terry Lock. He’s scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test and an examination Monday by Lewis Yocum.

“You’ve got to be concerned,” Rodgers said, “I think we’re all worried about this. There’s something that’s not right.”

Grahe, successful in 21 of 24 save opportunities last season, said the pain is in the back of the shoulder. The pain, he said, inhibits him from following through with his pitches.

“It feels like someone’s got a knuckle and is digging it in there,” Grahe said, “almost like a charley horse in my rotator muscle.

“It’s frustrating because we’re winning, and are having a good time, but it’s been two months into the season and I haven’t been 100% yet.

“I just want to get this over with and get back to 100%. I don’t want this dragging on all season, and going day to day like I have been.”

The Angels will wait until Yocum’s diagnosis before determining whether to put Grahe (2-1, 3.57 ERA and six saves) on the disabled list. If it’s determined he must go on the disabled list, they will probably choose between triple-A relievers Hilly Hathaway (6-0, 3.64 ERA) or Otis Green (1-2, 4.11) for a replacement.

Meanwhile, Rodgers said, the Angels will explore trade possibilities in acquiring another reliever. The trouble, Rodgers said, is that everyone is asking for one of their top players in return.

“They all want (Damion) Easley, (Chad) Curtis, (Tim) Salmon or (J.T.) Snow,” Rodgers said, “and that’s not going to happen. You know something, if someone had pitching in this division, they’d run away with the thing.”

For now, the Angels would settle for some defense on days Finley pitches.

“I know I’m willing to try anything,” Finley said, “maybe I’ll change mouthwashes or deodorants. Hey, whatever it takes. I just know it can’t keep going on like this.”