Angels Close to Deal on Finley, Not Abbott

ANAHEIM —  The Angels are on the verge of signing pitcher Chuck Finley to a three-year deal, but a team executive said “we’re not as close” to signing free-agent pitcher Jim Abbott.

The Angels also have been informed that baseball owners are scheduled to vote on the Walt Disney Co.’s purchase of 25% of the team on Jan. 18, the final day of their winter meetings in Los Angeles, meaning the entertainment giant could assume operational control of the Angels this month.

Acting Commissioner Bud Selig said Tuesday that “to my knowledge, everything is fine” with Disney’s proposal. “I don’t see any problems.”

But the problem for the Angels, if they don’t re-sign Finley and Abbott by Monday, would be the loss of negotiating rights to them until May 1, effectively ending any chance of keeping them in Anaheim.

But several sources said the Finley deal, expected to pay him about $4 million a year for three years, is complete except for a few minor details, and could be announced within two days.

“It could happen any time,” Angel President Richard Brown said. “We’re really very, very optimistic. I think we’ll have some good news very soon.”

Finley, an Angel for his entire 10-year career, was 15-12 with a 4.21 earned-run average and 195 strikeouts in 1995. Retaining Finley was deemed critical for the Angels’ 1996 playoff hopes.

Assuming recently signed veterans Bryan Harvey, Tim Wallach and Jack Howell make the team, Finley’s contract would push the Angels’ payroll to about $21.5 million for 12 players signed for 1996.

The Angels are obligated to keep the payroll at $25 million or less for the Disney deal to be approved, so they could conceivably sign Abbott, who is seeking about $3.2 million a year, and stay under the $25 million limit.

Disney would then be responsible for signing the remaining 13 players, a group that includes center fielder Jim Edmonds, first baseman J.T. Snow, left fielder Garret Anderson and reliever Troy Percival, who are expected to make considerably more than last season.

But if the Disney vote is postponed or if the deal is not approved, the Angels would have little money to sign the remaining players.

“You either gamble and sign Chuck Finley or you play it conservatively and lose him,” Brown said. “I don’t think a conservative approach is wise here. I feel [the Disney deal] will be approved. I’ve heard nothing negative about it [from fellow owners].”

Abbott, the left-hander who was traded from the Angels to the Yankees after the 1992 season, is also seeking a three-year deal, but the team would like to sign him for less than $3 million a year. The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly have offered Abbott a three-year, $9-million deal.

“I don’t think we can sign Finley and Abbott and then just turn [the team] over to Disney,” Brown said. “There are some other ingredients that must be addressed. Finley is our priority, then we’ll turn to Abbott. We would like to sign him, but that depends on his view and our view of the market place.”

The Angels also hope to acquire a front-line catcher, with their sights set on free agents Joe Oliver (Milwaukee Brewers) and Benito Santiago (Cincinnati Reds), and they have inquired about right-handed pitcher Tim Belcher, a free agent who played for Seattle last season.

Scott Boras, Abbott’s agent, said the Angels “have let us know they have the wherewithal to negotiate with us--there is interest on both sides” in keeping Abbott in Anaheim.

Note

Acting Commissioner Bud Selig said he expects the sale of the Pittsburgh Pirates to a group headed by newspaper chain executive Kevin McClatchy to be approved at the Jan. 16-18 owners meetings in Los Angeles. . . . For Disney to take over the Angels, three-fourths of American League owners and one-half of National League owners must approve the deal. Disney’s takeover would end Gene Autry’s 35-year tenure as the team’s sole owner.

Times staff writer Ross Newhan contributed to this story.