BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Abbott, Finley Won’t Settle for Arbitration

The agent for Jim Abbott said Monday the Angel pitcher will reject salary arbitration, and the agent for Chuck Finley said he has “every intention” of declining arbitration.

That means that, barring any unexpected, last-minute deals by tonight’s 9 o’clock deadline for accepting arbitration, the Angels must sign the two left-handers by Jan. 8--or risk losing two-fifths of their starting rotation.

Muddling the situation is the paralysis gripping the Angel front office as it awaits baseball’s approval of the Walt Disney Co. as the team’s minority owner, a vote that may not come until the Jan. 16-18 owners’ meetings in Los Angeles.

“Who knows?” General Manager Bill Bavasi said when asked if the Angels could sign both pitchers by Jan. 8. “We don’t know.”

“There’s a point in time where you have to pick a team and go,” said Finley, who is seeking a three-year deal in the $4-million-a-year range. “I want to play for the Angels, but business is business, and if I have to go elsewhere I will.”

Finley said the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays are “very interested” in him. Toronto has offered Abbott a three-year deal in the $9-million range.