Steve Finley

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Steve Finley
Colorado Rockies — No. 21
Center field
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Major League Baseball debut
April 3, 1989 for the Baltimore Orioles
Selected MLB statistics
(through 2006)
AVG     .272
HR     303
RBI     1165
Former teams

    Steven Allen Finley (born March 12, 1965, in Union City, Tennessee) is a Major League Baseball center fielder who bats and throws left-handed. He signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies for the 2007 season.

    Finley, who grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, attended Tilghman High School and Southern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in physiology and played for the baseball team from 1984-87.

    In 2006, at the age of 41, Finley became the oldest player ever to play more than 100 games in center field. He has the 4th-most center field appearances in major league history.

    [edit] Career

    In 1986 Finley was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round of the draft, but did not sign, instead choosing to remain at SIU, where he was 2-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer and a 3rd-team All-American in 1986.

    He was a member of the 1986 Team USA squad that won a bronze medal during international competition in the Netherlands.

    In 1987 he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round of the draft, and did sign.

    In 919 at bats in the minor leagues, Finley batted .309 and stole 68 bases, while being caught only 18 times.

    In January 1991 he was traded by the Orioles with Pete Harnisch and Curt Schilling to the Houston Astros for Glenn Davis.

    In 1991 he was 3rd in the league in triples (10), 6th in hits (170), 9th in stolen bases (34), and 10th in sacrifice hits (10).

    In 1992 he led the NL in games played (162), was 2nd in triples (13), 3rd in stolen bases (44; a career high) and sacrifice hits (10), and 7th in hits (177).

    In 1993 he led the league in triples (13).

    In 1994 was 2nd in the league in sacrifice hits (13), and 10th in triples (5).

    In December 1994 he was traded by the Astros with Ken Caminiti, Andujar Cedeno, Roberto Petagine, Brian Williams, and Sean Fesh (minors) to the San Diego Padres for Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutierrez, Pedro Martinez, Phil Plantier, and Craig Shipley.

    In 1995 Finley batted a career-high .297 and was 3rd in the league in runs (104) and triples (8), and was 4th in stolen bases (36) and hits (167). Finley also won his first Gold Glove Award.

    In 1996 Finley was 2nd in the NL in runs (126; a career high) and doubles (45), 3rd in extra base hits (84), 4th in triples (9), and 6th in hits (195). Finley won his second Gold Glove Award. He came in 10th in the MVP voting.

    In 1997 Finley was 8th in the league in runs (101). He was also voted to the All Star team.

    In 1998 Finley was 10th in the NL in doubles (40).

    In December 1998 and December 2002 he signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

    In 1999 he had 34 home runs and a career-high 103 RBIs, and was 7th in the league in extra base hits (76). Finley also won his third Gold Glove Award.

    In 2000 he had 35 home runs and a career-high .544 slugging percentage, and was 9th in the league in sacrifice flies (9). He was also voted to the All Star team. Finley had 10 assists, and won his fourth Gold Glove Award.

    In 2002 Finley had a career-high .370 on base percentage.

    In 2003 he led the league in triples (10).

    In July 2004 he was traded by the Diamondbacks with Brent Mayne to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Koyie Hill, Reggie Abercrombie, and Bill Murphy (minors).

    In 2004 he led the NL in games played (162), was 8th in at bats (628) and plate appearances (706), and was 9th in home runs (36; the third highest total ever for a 39-year-old in the majors, behind Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron). Finley also won his fifth Gold Glove Award. He came in 14th in the MVP voting. He also tied Pete Rose's record of playing in 162 games at the age of 39.[1]

    In December 2004 he signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Angels.

    In December 2005 he was traded by the Angels to the San Francisco Giants for Edgardo Alfonzo.

    On June 14, 2006, he became the 6th member of Major League Baseball's 300-300 club, for which the membership requirements are 300 career home runs and 300 career stolen bases.

    In 2006 he was 4th in the league in triples (12), and was 7-0 in stolen base attempts. He played in the 7th-most games (139) of any 41-year-old major leaguer ever.[2]

    He ended the 2006 season as a career .272 hitter with 303 home runs, 1,165 RBI, 1,434 runs, 2,531 hits (5th of active players), 446 doubles, 124 triples (leads all active players), and 320 stolen bases in 2,540 games (4th of active players).

    On November 1, 2006, the Giants declined their option on Finley for the 2007 season, which made him a free agent. On February 24, 2007, Finley signed a minor-league contract with the Colorado Rockies. If he makes the Rockies roster he will be the first player in the history of Baseball to play for all teams in a 5-team division (Padres, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Rockies).

    Highlights

    "0-1, HIGH DRIVE, DEEP RIGHT-CENTER FIELD, AND IT I--S GONE!!! WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM BY STEVE FINLEY, AND THE DODGERS ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS FINISH!!![citation needed]
    • Married (Amy Jantzen, Jan. 3, 1992), with 3 sons (Austin, 1993; Reed, 1995; and Blake, 1997) and 2 daughters (Franchesca, 2001; and Sophia, 2005).

    [edit] See also

    [edit] External links

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