Another Talking Point for Finley

Chuck Finley swears that not a day has gone by since July 31 when he has thought about his future--or potential lack thereof--with the Angels.

There have been no contract talks between the left-hander and the team as free agency looms, no hint from either side whether a 14-year relationship between the pitcher and the Angels will endure or end.

That might change soon.

Finley showed again Wednesday night that there is plenty of life--and quality innings--left in his 36-year-old arm, shutting out the Kansas City Royals for eight innings of the Angels’ 1-0 victory before 10,781 in Kauffman Stadium.

Darin Erstad lined a home run to right-center field with two outs in the ninth, his second game-winning hit in as many nights, and the Angels beat the Royals in the final inning for the third straight game.

The Angels extended their win streak to five, their longest of the season, and have won nine of 10. Though eight victories have come against the lowly White Sox, Twins and Royals, it’s possible this Angel streak has created a few second thoughts in a front office that seemed ready to send this team through a shredder two weeks ago.

“I don’t know [where this team is headed now], it’s very confusing,” Finley (10-11) said. “We’ve showed what kind of team we can be the last week and a half. It comes down to whether we want to go down the road with the same guys or dismantle it. I’m not sure they want to go down this road again.”

Finley, who gave up two hits and struck out eight Wednesday night and is 5-1 with a 1.51 earned-run average, 61 strikeouts and 21 walks in eight starts since Aug. 5, expressed a desire to return to Anaheim, but he hasn’t gotten a strong sense the Angels want him back. That’s understandable, though.

“They have far bigger issues to deal with than me right now,” Finley said. “They don’t have to do anything. I foresee a lot of changes on this team, and I might be right in the middle of them.”

The Angels will have exclusive negotiating rights to Finley until 15 days after the World Series, and if a deal isn’t consummated by then, Finley will be free to talk to other teams.

If Finley, who was almost traded to the Indians in July, departs, the Angels will receive no compensation in the form of draft picks from the team that signs him.

“I will give [the Angels] an opportunity--it’s not my goal at the end of the season to clean my locker, shake everyone’s hand and say, ‘See ya,’ ” Finley said. “If they think it’s time to move on, I’ll move on. If they want to talk to me, I’ll listen. But I don’t think they owe me anything.”

Except maybe a few runs. The Angels scored just once for Finley for the seventh time in 30 starts this season, as Royal right-hander Blake Stein, acquired in the July 31 deal that sent pitcher Kevin Appier to Oakland, matched Finley zero for zero, giving up six hits over eight shutout innings.

Stein struck out six and walked five and got some defensive help from center fielder Carlos Beltran, the American League rookie-of-the-year favorite who leaped a few inches above the center-field wall in the seventh to rob Jim Edmonds of a two-run home run.

But Kansas City Manager Tony Muser pulled Stein for reliever Lance Carter in the ninth, and Erstad spoiled Carter’s major-league debut by blasting a belt-high fastball for his first home run since Aug. 10.

“That was very loud off the bat,” Angel interim Manager Joe Maddon said. “When he gets his hack right, he can really backspin a ball and get on top of it. It was a very good pitch for him to hit, and he didn’t miss it.”

Since the middle of 1998, right-handers have been busting Erstad low and inside with breaking balls, and Erstad has been unable to regain the stroke that made him an all-star last season.

But he got a chance to extend his arms in Kansas City this week, lining a game-winning single to help the Angels sweep a doubleheader Tuesday and a 418-foot homer Wednesday.

“That was the first time in a while where I swung and actually felt that it was normal,” Erstad said. “Better late than never, is that the right saying?”