Grounded Chuck

There is nothing wrong with Chuck Finley’s numbers or his health. But something seems a little off lately.

While most Angels have been clicking over the last month, Finley hasn’t quite been himself. The Angels won a team-record 22 games in June, but the staff ace for most of the past decade won only two.

Since opening with a 6-2 record and a 2.22 earned-run average, Finley has failed to pitch into the eighth inning of his last five starts. He has lost two of those starts and his ERA has risen to 3.05, still seventh best in the American League.

“I started off real good, but my last three or four starts haven’t been that good,” said Finley, who is 8-4 and tied for most wins on the staff with Jason Dickson and Ken Hill. “They expect me to pitch into the eighth or ninth inning and I haven’t done that.”

Finley realizes people expect a lot because he’s given a lot in the last 12 seasons. He leads Angel pitchers with 150 career victories. But Finley isn’t always going to dominate hitters like he did last season when he ran off 10 consecutive victories before he broke his left wrist in August, ending his season.

“Pitchers go through mechanical slumps, just like hitters do,” Finley said. “I’ve been in a bit of a mechanical funk the last three or four times out. I’ve got a big body [6 feet 6, 225 pounds] so a lot of things can go wrong in my motion.”

Finley’s struggles have been camouflaged by pleasantly surprising performances by Omar Olivares, Jarrod Washburn and Steve Sparks. But shortstop Gary DiSarcina, who has played behind Finley for seven years, has noticed Finley is not quite on top of his game.

“I think he’ll tell you that his control hasn’t been his best the last three or four starts,” DiSarcina said. “When everything is going well for him, he gets all his pitches over for strikes. He hasn’t been doing that lately.”

In his last five starts, Finley has averaged nearly five walks. Those control problems have led to high pitch counts, six home runs and early exits.

“I’m not a one- or two-walk kind of pitcher because I throw forkballs on 3-2 counts,” Finley said, “but I’m better than I’ve been showing.”

Finley hasn’t panicked. Occasionally, he will watch tapes of himself when things aren’t going well. But for now, he will simply try to pitch his way out of the funk.

“I know I’m not going to come out of it in one start,” Finley said. “I have to be patient and work my way out of it.”

Angel Manager Terry Collins doesn’t seem too concerned.

‘He was off to such a great start,” Collins said. “We started to think nobody’s supposed to score off this guy. It’s a tough burden to carry. He’s given up some runs, but he’s pitched against some good teams and we haven’t scored much for him.”

With a little more run support, Finley might be going to his fifth All-Star game.

“I still thought I had a real good chance to go,” he said. “I’ve been trying to keep that ERA below 3.00. But I understand. I’ve been around. I’m just happy for Darin [Erstad] and Troy [Percival].”

Maybe if Finley moved his locker a little closer to Washburn’s, he could steal some of that good Wisconsin karma.

“I’d like to get those 10 runs a start,” Finley said.

Sometimes when Finley glances out to the mound and sees that lanky rookie left-hander, he thinks of 1986.

“He does remind me of myself, but Jarrod’s a lot more polished than I was when I came up,” Finley said.

DiSarcina said a young pitcher such as Washburn could learn a lot from Finley.

“I think of a consummate professional when I think of Chuck,” DiSarcina said. “When I watch him, I think this is what it’s about. He’s great for those guys like Jarrod. He’s not some five-and-dive guy. It’s his game and he wants to finish it. He doesn’t want to turn it over to the bullpen.

“He may not be getting the same results as he was last year when he was in that streak, but his preparation and his presence are identical to last year.”