Cardinals Get Finley in Trade

The St. Louis Cardinals, desperate for another starter since Darryl Kile’s death, acquired left-hander Chuck Finley from the Cleveland Indians on Friday night for minor league first baseman Luis Garcia and a player to be named.

The deal was completed before the Cardinals lost to Pittsburgh, 12-9, but was held up pending the approval of Major League Baseball.

Because the Indians are picking up a share of the $4 million-plus still owed Finley in the last year of his $27 million, three-year contract, baseball’s approval would be required.

Finley is a proven winner in the majors, with seven seasons of 15 victories or more and a 193-169 career record. But he is only 4-11 with a 4.44 earned-run average this season in 18 starts.

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Reliever Graeme Lloyd, appalled by the prospect of pitching again for Florida owner Jeffrey Loria, has asked an arbitrator to reverse the eight-player trade that sent him to the Marlins from the Montreal Expos.

Lloyd says the deal July 11 violated a no-trade clause in his contract. It listed the Marlins as one of 12 teams he couldn’t be traded to, but his agents apparently missed by one day a deadline to renew the clause last Nov. 1.

If Lloyd’s appeal is upheld, he could be returned to the Expos. The appeal is unlikely to affect Montreal’s acquisition of outfielder Cliff Floyd.

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New York Yankee right fielder Raul Mondesi was hospitalized overnight because of shortness of breath and released Friday. The Yankees said Mondesi underwent tests at Montefiore Hospital, which were negative, but he was not with the team for Friday’s game against Boston.... Texas Ranger closer Hideki Irabu was released from a Kansas City hospital, five days after being diagnosed with a series of small blood clots in his lungs. Irabu was hospitalized at St. Luke’s Hospital after complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath Monday.

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Minnesota Twin outfielder Torii Hunter was suspended for three games and fined for throwing a ball at Cleveland’s Danys Baez. Hunter decided not to challenge the penalty and will start serving the suspension, imposed by baseball vice president Bob Watson, today.... Yankee pitcher Orlando Hernandez was suspended for five games and fined $1,000 by the commissioner’s office for hitting Toronto’s Carlos Delgado with a pitch earlier this week. Because he appealed, Hernandez can pitch today against the Boston Red Sox and fellow Cuban right-hander Rolando Arrojo.... Colorado Rockies’ reliever Todd Jones received a $1,000 fine for throwing at Seattle Mariner second baseman Bret Boone two weeks ago. Jones received a letter from baseball vice president Bob Watson on Thursday, which said he was being fined for intentionally throwing at Boone’s head on June 28.

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Arizona Diamondback right-hander Rick Helling, who had been scheduled to start this weekend, was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained right ankle. The move was retroactive to Tuesday.... The Minnesota Twins activated right-hander Joe Mays and he will start today against the Tigers for the first time since facing Detroit April 14. He had had muscle and tendon inflammation in his right elbow.... The Houston Astros recalled Kirk Saarloos, a former Cal State Fullerton standout, from triple-A New Orleans, and the right-hander will start today’s game against the Chicago Cubs. Saarloos made three starts for the Astros in June, going 0-2 with a 17.65 ERA.