McDowell on Firmer Ground Than Finley

As one Angel pitcher continued a remarkable comeback Wednesday night, speculation continued to swirl around another Angel pitcher who doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going.

While right-hander Jack McDowell was throwing 6 1/3 strong innings in the Angels’ 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before 18,336 at Tropicana Field, left-hander Chuck Finley spent another day on the trading block.

“They’re probably sitting around a room putting packages together, figuring out a way to raise the Titanic,” Finley said of the front office. “They’ve been trying, that’s no secret. I don’t think they’re going to give me away for a bag of balls and some kitchen matches.”

As a veteran with 10 years in the big leagues, five with the same team, Finley can veto any deal, but he said he hasn’t been involved in trade talks.

Though Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi left his number for Finley to call while the team was in Tampa Bay, Finley elected not to call, figuring he would meet with Bavasi in Anaheim. The non-waiver trade deadline is 9 p.m. (PDT) Saturday.

The Indians remain the front-runner to acquire Finley, who has struggled with a 5-9 record and 5.68 earned-run average, but it’s doubtful they’ll meet the Angels’ initial request for three major leaguers, including power-hitting first baseman-designated hitter Richie Sexson.

“Last year our reports [on Finley] were fabulous,” Indian General Manager John Hart said. “This year they’re only so-so. There could be some reasons why, but we still like him.”

Finley, who wants to pitch for the Indians or Yankees, thinks he could boost a playoff-bound team.

“They’re not putting me out to pasture,” he said. “I have a lot of good pitching left in me.”

The Yankees have cooled on Finley, in part because they believe he will re-sign with the Angels next winter, but Finley said that’s not necessarily the case. “I can’t speculate how it’s going to be if I go somewhere else,” Finley said.

If his uncertain future is causing stress, Finley hides it well. Asked if he had firm plans to meet with Bavasi today, Finley said, “No, I’m going to the beach. . . . I’ll know something when I know.”

McDowell, meanwhile, further solidified his future Wednesday, if not with the Angels than with some other club. He gave up two runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked one, and in two games since returning from a 10-month absence because of shoulder and elbow injuries, McDowell has given up three runs on 13 hits in 12 innings.

The Angels snapped a scoreless tie in the seventh when Garret Anderson tripled and scored on Jeff Huson’s sacrifice fly off Devil Ray starter Ryan Rupe (one run, six hits, eight innings).

Tampa Bay scored two in the bottom of the seventh on four consecutive singles, the first by Wade Boggs (career hit 2,992). The Angels threatened in the eighth when Gary DiSarcina singled and appeared to beat David Lamb’s throw to second on Darin Erstad’s slow roller to shortstop.

But umpire Jim Evans called DiSarcina out, and Angel Manager Terry Collins burst out of the dugout, engaging Evans in a heated argument that got Collins ejected. Randy Velarde hit into a double play, and the Devil Rays secured the victory with two runs in the eighth off reliever Al Levine.

The loss ended an ugly 1-7 trip that began with Erstad calling the Angels “soft,” and questioning their desire to win, and Mo Vaughn criticizing them for being too “lackadaisical,” comments that were endorsed by some Angels but left others bewildered.

“I’ve been confused and disappointed by it all,” DiSarcina said. “If we’re all in this together, it sure as heck doesn’t look like it. I’m not going to get involved in any mud-slinging. Let’s all look in the mirror together.”

DiSarcina was critical of the Angels at the end of last season, but his comments were directed more toward the organization, which he didn’t feel was committed to winning. He has not weighed in on the latest Angel controversy.

“To be honest, I’ve stayed out of it--I’m Switzerland,” DiSarcina said. “That’s not the way I was brought up in this game. When I broke in [to the big leagues], things in the clubhouse stayed in the clubhouse.”