BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Rodgers Discredits Finley Trade Rumor

Manager Buck Rodgers did his best Monday to halt persistent rumors that the Angels are about to trade pitcher Chuck Finley.

“There has not been one word in this organization about trading Chuck Finley,” Rodgers said. “There’s no thought of it. I’ve heard this thing for the last month. It’s not going to happen.”

He did not rule out the possibility of other moves, however. As of Monday, nothing was certain, he said.

“I don’t think every move we make should be translated to pulling the plug (on the season), so to speak,” he said. “If we traded Chili Davis or Chuck Finley, then I’d say we were pulling the plug.”

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Pitcher Julio Valera returned to Anaheim Stadium for the first time since undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery on July 8 and said he is hoping to return by late 1994.

“(But) first I have to be able to straighten my arm out,” he said, trying to flex as best he could. “I don’t know how long I’ll be out. It’s been a long time already, sitting at home and watching the games.”

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The Angels announced that they have signed Ryan Hancock, their second-round draft pick, and Andrew Lorraine, their fourth-round pick. Hancock is a right-handed pitcher from Brigham Young and Lorraine is a left-hander from Stanford. First-round pick Brian Anderson, a left-handed pitcher from Wright State, remains unsigned. . . . Third baseman Kelly Gruber met with Dr. Lewis Yocum on Monday to discuss neck surgery to relieve pain from bulging discs. According to the Angels, “Surgery was not ruled out.” Gruber said last month that neck surgery scared him, and that he heard few good things about it. Surgery or no surgery, it’s unlikely that Gruber will play for the Angels again.