Chuck Finley
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward "Chuck" Finley (born November 26, 1962 in Monroe
, Louisiana
) is an American former Major League Baseball
left-handed
pitcher
. He pitched from 1986-2002 for three different teams, but pitched primarily with the California Angels
(later the Anaheim Angels and now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). During a 17-year baseball career, Finley compiled 200 wins, 2,610 strikeout
s, and a 3.85 earned run average
.
's 2.43 in 1976. After departing the Angels, Finley signed with the Indians before the 2000 season. He went 16–11 with a 4.17 ERA and posted an 8–7 record with a 5.54 ERA with the Indians in . In 2002 he was 4–11 with a 4.44 ERA in 18 games before being traded to the Cardinals for outfielder
Coco Crisp
. He finished the season and subsequently his career with the Cardinals, going 7–4 with a 3.80 ERA for the remainder of the season,
Finley is the only pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to record 4 strikeouts in a single inning more than once; he accomplished the feat 3 times. These occasions were on May 12, 1999, then later again that season on August 15, both with the Anaheim Angels, and then for a third time on April 16, 2000, with the Cleveland Indians. This oddity can mainly be attributed to the fact that he used an excellent split finger pitch as his strike out weapon; that pitch would often end up in the dirt, eluding both batter and catcher.
Finley was selected by the Angels in the 15th round of the amateur draft out of Northeast Louisiana University
, but he did not sign. The Angels chose him again in the 1st round (4th pick) of the secondary phase of the amateur draft.
Finley became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. 75% of the vote was necessary for induction, and 5% was necessary to stay on the BBWAA ballot. He received 0.2% of the vote and dropped off of the ballot.
On April 9, 2009, Finley was to be inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame along with former teammate Brian Downing
before the start of the game that day. However, due to the death of Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart
, the ceremony and game was postponed until August 27, 2009.
On July 11, 2010, Finley was the winning pitcher in the 2010 Legends & Celebrity Softball Game at Angel Stadium.
, was a rare left-handed power pitcher and often finished in the top 5 in the league in strikeouts. He complemented his hard fastball
with a devastating forkball
that would baffle hitters when on target. The best comparison to Finley for pitching style would be right-handed Roger Clemens
, though Finley had less consistent command of his pitches than Clemens.
from 1997 to 2002. He filed for divorce three days after Kitaen was charged with committing domestic violence
against him, having beaten him with a stiletto heel
. They have two daughters, Wynter and Raine.
Tawny Finley, in a declaration to the Orange County Superior Court, claims her husband, Chuck Finley, used steroids amongst other drugs. She even details that Finley bought the steroids from a man named "Rob" from Mission Viejo, and that she has seen him inject himself. She also claims he bragged about being able to circumvent MLB's testing policy. When told of his wife's accusations, which also included heavy marijuana use and alcohol abuse, Finley replied: "I can't believe she left out the cross-dressing."
As Finley took the mound for an April 2002 game against the Chicago White Sox
at then-Comiskey Park II
, the stadium's musical director, Joe Stephen, took a subtle dig at Finley's messy divorce, and played "Here I Go Again" by the band Whitesnake
, referencing Kitaen's appearance in that band's videos and her previous marriage to the band's lead singer, David Coverdale
. Stephen was later fired and the White Sox apologized.
Finley is the inspiration for an alias of the fictional character Sam Axe
from the USA Network
show Burn Notice
.
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
) is an American former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He pitched from 1986-2002 for three different teams, but pitched primarily with the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(later the Anaheim Angels and now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). During a 17-year baseball career, Finley compiled 200 wins, 2,610 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, and a 3.85 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
Baseball career
Finley is best known for his long career with the Angels, during which he won more than 15 games six times. His finest season was in 1990, when he won 18 games to just 9 losses and posted a 2.40 ERA — to date, the lowest by an Angel left-hander on a season, surpassing Frank TananaFrank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
's 2.43 in 1976. After departing the Angels, Finley signed with the Indians before the 2000 season. He went 16–11 with a 4.17 ERA and posted an 8–7 record with a 5.54 ERA with the Indians in . In 2002 he was 4–11 with a 4.44 ERA in 18 games before being traded to the Cardinals for outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Coco Crisp
Coco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed...
. He finished the season and subsequently his career with the Cardinals, going 7–4 with a 3.80 ERA for the remainder of the season,
Finley is the only pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to record 4 strikeouts in a single inning more than once; he accomplished the feat 3 times. These occasions were on May 12, 1999, then later again that season on August 15, both with the Anaheim Angels, and then for a third time on April 16, 2000, with the Cleveland Indians. This oddity can mainly be attributed to the fact that he used an excellent split finger pitch as his strike out weapon; that pitch would often end up in the dirt, eluding both batter and catcher.
Finley was selected by the Angels in the 15th round of the amateur draft out of Northeast Louisiana University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
, but he did not sign. The Angels chose him again in the 1st round (4th pick) of the secondary phase of the amateur draft.
Finley became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. 75% of the vote was necessary for induction, and 5% was necessary to stay on the BBWAA ballot. He received 0.2% of the vote and dropped off of the ballot.
On April 9, 2009, Finley was to be inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame along with former teammate Brian Downing
Brian Downing
Brian Jay Downing is a former professional baseball player who had a 20-year MLB career with the Chicago White Sox, California Angels and Texas Rangers.- Chicago Years :...
before the start of the game that day. However, due to the death of Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart
Nick Adenhart
Nicholas James Adenhart was an American right-handed baseball starting pitcher who played two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...
, the ceremony and game was postponed until August 27, 2009.
On July 11, 2010, Finley was the winning pitcher in the 2010 Legends & Celebrity Softball Game at Angel Stadium.
Pitching style
Finley, similarly to Randy JohnsonRandy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
, was a rare left-handed power pitcher and often finished in the top 5 in the league in strikeouts. He complemented his hard fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
with a devastating forkball
Forkball
The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. Related to the split-fingered fastball, the forkball is held between the first two fingers and thrown hard snapping the wrist....
that would baffle hitters when on target. The best comparison to Finley for pitching style would be right-handed Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
, though Finley had less consistent command of his pitches than Clemens.
Personal life and marriage
Finley was married to actress Tawny KitaenTawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...
from 1997 to 2002. He filed for divorce three days after Kitaen was charged with committing domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
against him, having beaten him with a stiletto heel
Stiletto heel
A stiletto heel is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s...
. They have two daughters, Wynter and Raine.
Tawny Finley, in a declaration to the Orange County Superior Court, claims her husband, Chuck Finley, used steroids amongst other drugs. She even details that Finley bought the steroids from a man named "Rob" from Mission Viejo, and that she has seen him inject himself. She also claims he bragged about being able to circumvent MLB's testing policy. When told of his wife's accusations, which also included heavy marijuana use and alcohol abuse, Finley replied: "I can't believe she left out the cross-dressing."
As Finley took the mound for an April 2002 game against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
at then-Comiskey Park II
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
, the stadium's musical director, Joe Stephen, took a subtle dig at Finley's messy divorce, and played "Here I Go Again" by the band Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, referencing Kitaen's appearance in that band's videos and her previous marriage to the band's lead singer, David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
. Stephen was later fired and the White Sox apologized.
Finley is the inspiration for an alias of the fictional character Sam Axe
Sam Axe
Commander Samuel "Sam" Axe, USN is a fictional character in the television series Burn Notice and TV movie Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, played by Bruce Campbell. He is the best friend of Michael Westen, the main character in Burn Notice.-Overview:Sam served several years as a U.S...
from the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
show Burn Notice
Burn notice
A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....