Cooperstown Chronicles – Chuck Finley

Chuck Finley was suggested by aajoe7, a friend of mine from the Sporting News community.  I’ve decided to review his numbers and offer my opinion to his Hall of Fame worthiness.

The Numbers
524 Games
3197.3 Innings Pitched
200-173
.536 Winning Percentage
63 Complete Games
15 Shutouts
2610 Strikeouts (23rd All-time)
3.85 ERA
1.376 WHIP

Playoffs:  7 games, 1-2, 4.50 ERA, 22 innings, 19 K’s

Awards
5 All Star Games
Cy Young votes in one seasons

Top Ten Finishes
Wins – Six times
ERA – Five times
Won-Loss % – Three times
Innings – Nine times (Led league in 1994)
Strikeouts – Ten times
Starts – Eight times (Led league in 1994)
Complete Games – Five times (Led league in 1993)
Shutouts – Eight times

There’s no cool nickname for Chuck Finley.  He does have a funny story.  His wife, Tawny Kitaen, beat him with the heal of her shoe while he was driving.  When he started his next game they played Whitesnake’s “Here I go Again” as he warmed up, which is a song in with Tawny starred in the video.  The guy got fired, but I still think that’s one of the funniest moves ever.  OK, to Finley.  He was a great strikeout pitcher.  He was real solid.  He never won 20 games though.  Only once did he make the top ten in Cy Young voting, and he finished 7th.  He was a good pitcher, but the only way he gets into the Hall of Fame is with a ticket like you and me.

References
Baseball-reference.com

Past Chronicles
Bert Byleven
Andre Dawson
Dale Murphy
Mark McGwire
Bobby Matthews
Tommy John
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Jim Rice
Ted Simmons
Lee Smith
Jack Morris
Al Oliver
Steve Garvey
Jim Kaat
Pete Ro$e
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Dave Concepcion
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Ron Santo
Ron Guidry
Gil Hodges
Dave Parker
Tony Mullane
Keith Hernandez
Don Mattingly
Dwight Evans
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Harold Baines
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Joe Carter
Rusty Staub
Gary Gaetti
Jimmy Ryan
George Van Haltren
Roger Maris
Lance Parrish
Mo Vaughn
Mark Grace
Dennis Martinez

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