Finley’s Fractured Wrist A Bad Break For Angels

Chuck Finley’s injured left wrist turned out to be worse than the Anaheim Angels suspected. It’s broken, and the left-hander will miss the rest of the regular season.

Finley was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks.

He underwent an MRI Tuesday night at Centinela Hospital in Inglewood, and “it showed there’s a break in there,” Angels manager Terry Collins said.

The pitcher, who has won his last 10 decisions, missed his scheduled start Tuesday night.

Finley (13-6) was thought to have sprained his wrist Aug. 18 against the Yankees when he fell while running to back up home plate.

Boog Powell has cancer surgery

John “Boog” Powell, who starred with the Baltimore Orioles for 14 of his 17 major-league seasons, is recovering from colon cancer surgery, hospital officials said Wednesday.

The procedure was performed Monday, according to Johns Hopkins Hospital spokesman Tom Haederle. During that procedure, a surgical team led by Dr. Keith Lillemoe removed approximately one-third of his colon.

It is anticipated that Powell will be hospitalized for the remainder of the week. He is resting comfortably and is declining media interviews.

Powell, 56, hit all but 36 of his 339 home runs with the Orioles from 1961 to 1974. He then played the Cleveland Indians for two seasons before finishing his career in 1977 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mets extend Valentine’s contract

The New York Mets rewarded manager Bobby Valentine for their unexpected success by agreeing with the manager on a new three-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

Valentine, in his first year with the club, has had the overachieving Mets in the playoff hunt while having to juggle a pitching staff decimated by injuries since spring training.

The announcement that Valentine would be the Mets’ manager through 2000 came one year and one day after the 47-year-old was named to replace Dallas Green. It also came with the Mets fading from wild-card contention, having lost 12 of 17 games before their afternoon pounding of the San Francisco Giants.

Valentine, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season, said he has yet to sign the new deal but that an agreement had been reached.

Butler to have neck checked

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Brett Butler, who missed most of last season with cancer of the tonsils, left the team Wednesday to see his doctor about an irritation in his neck.

The problem has been diagnosed as an infection in the soft tissue on the right side of the neck. It is not believed to be related to the cancer, although the cancer also occurred on the right side.

Butler returned to his Atlanta home for the examination and is expected to rejoin the Dodgers after missing two games.

Dodgers pick up Lewis

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Darren Lewis from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named.

Lewis, who turns 30 today, is hitting .234 with five runs batted in and 11 stolen bases in 81 games this season. Known for his defense, Lewis hasn’t committed an error this season and has made just seven in his six-plus M.L. seasons. He holds the M.L. record for consecutive errorless games by a non-pitcher with 392.