Steve Finley is a class act. on and off the baseball field.

Date:   11/30/2007 10:39:34 AM ( 17 y ago)

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On-line San Diego Wildfire Relief Auction:
Item: A signed baseball from Steven Finley
was one of the items offered.

There are still lots of wonderful items
up for bidding:

http://socalfires.maestroweb.com/Details.aspx?OrgID=598&ItemID=43&selection=0


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http://images.pictopia.com.edgesuite.net/perl/get_image?provider_id=314&md=00...


Photographer: Lisa Blumenfeld

Caption:

Steve Finley #12 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is congratulated in the dugout after scoring on a triple by Adam Kennedy #2 of the Angels in the second inning against the New York Yankees in Game Five of the American League Division Series on October 10, 2005 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

8:38 AM
November 30, 07


I was at Steve and Amy FInley's Home last night.
Steve is a class act. I had the opportunity to observe him closely
for about three hours.

He and Amy hosted the Southern California Wildfires Benefit
2007 at their home in Rancho Sante Fe. Many ideas of San Diego
were affected by the recent fires that destroyed more than 1600 homes.
Lives were lost, sadly. Many people were evacuated from their homes.

Whenever natural catastrophe happens, there is a community response.
It is almost as if natural shakes up draw up all together,
back to a more natural state of knowing we are intended to be
community in the first place.

I do not follow baseball much these days, though I am sure I would
enjoy this pastoral game with the likes of Steve Finley and friends.

I think foldly of my high school and college experiences
with athletes. Coaches were some of my first positive male role models.
They helped me through shattered teen years.

I also had some times during the 90's when following the local Aztec football
team and a few of its key players was a big hoot for me. I live within walking distance of
SDSU. During the years I was following, we had a guy named Marshall Falk. Once when
he had a little injury, I brought him some aloe vera from my Enchanted Garden, my home
down the street. He, and the other guys on the team, sized me up quick as a local urban shaman.

Another of my favorite Aztecs was Az Hakim. We both went to Fairfax High School
up in Los Angeles. Both those guys went on to Pro football.

Male Role Models:
Steve Finley is this kind of guy.

You can look at his eyes and tell he is a man with Soul.

He is about community service. Money he has gotten as an athlete, I know something good
is going to come from it. He has a lot of fans, including kids, who admire him. He is one of those
Gary Cooper movie kind of guys. You know, Lou Gerrig (SP?). Babe Ruth. Championship material
inside and out.

Last night, he was showing his medal. He and his delightful wife, Amy, of FInley Design sent out
a little list to some of their friends. About 1000 came to take make a first dent in Wildfire Relief.

There is still an Online Auction, where you and I can pitch in. About 1600 homes were lost. Lives
were lost too. There is a big rebuilding job here in So Cal,

I have my own agenda regarding this rebuilding.

We sometimes call San Diego the nation's finest city.

I have planted seeds that San Diego become a model for state of the art agriculture, where
everyone here rekindles a relationship with Mother Earth. The Enchanted Garden teaching goes.
Be intimate with the person growing your food. Garden. Know the farmer (s) growing the
rest of your food.

I work a lot with local organic farmers. In my eye, they are national heroes.
I intend that they become as popular as star athletes, and become rewarded
for the invisible service that most of them perform daily in our behalf.,

Numbers of local organic farmers suffered losses in the recent wildfires.
Family farmers in general, are under the radar for the kind of Relief Effort, that they need.

Last nights Relief Benefit was a grand start, not only to Rebuild from these fires, but as I see it, Redesign San Diegoin a way that lessens the chances of future natural fires, while helping take a stand on the food growing emergency now prevailing in our nation.

I have spent a lot of time on this Plant Your Dream Blog starting to detail this Food Emergency.
Do me a favor, go look at this picture of the Rodriguez Ranch, one of my family farmers.

Then read the link at the bottom of the photo. The Rodriguez Ranch is one of the properties
that concerns me. The price tag may be about $10 million, but the owner isn't clear yet
she wants to sell. The Rodriguez Family sold it to the new owner in duress, for about $2 million
some years back. Joe Rodriguez Jr, AKA Joe the Farmer, and the Rodriguez Family have farmed their organically since around 1985, and before than since the 60's.

Farm Report #1. It will bring you up to speed.


http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1049231


Early this morning, I started to do some internet reseach on Steve Finley.
I wanted to find out more about this man with the solid handshake, and those
beautiful soul inspired eyes.

here is some of what I found:

Toward the end of his professional Baseball career:

Fantasy Analysis

The 42-year-old Finley has hit .181 with one home run and 2 RBI in 43 games. He is a two-time All-Star (1997 and 2000) and five-time Gold Glove Award winner (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2004). He was the oldest player in Rockies history.

(Updated 06/16/2007).


http://sportsline.com/mlb/players/playerpage/7602


ESPN.com Content
November 21, 2007
Veteran outfielder Finley hopes to play in 2008
After 19 major league seasons, 2,548 hits and a four-month forced sabbatical last summer,
Steve Finley reached a decision: He's not ready to give up on playing just yet.

June 5, 2007
Rockies designate veteran Finley for assignment
The Rockies designated outfielder Steve Finley
for assignment and called up Sean Barker from Triple-A Colorado Springs,


http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=114135


Biography:

Over 18-year Major League career, has established himself as one of baseball's most respected and consistent players...excellent in all facets of game, is 1 of 6 members of game's prestigious 300 Home Run/300 Stolen Base club...with 303 career HRs and 320 SBs, joins Barry Bonds (734 HRs, 509 SBs), Willie Mays (660 HRs, 338 SBs), Andre Dawson (436 HRs, 314 SBs), Bobby Bonds (332 HRs, 461 SBs) and Reggie Sanders (303 HRs, 304 SBs)...in fact, 5 of those 6 players have worn Giants uniform, with Dawson lone exception...center fielder is also 2-time All-Star (1997 and 2000) and 5- time Gold Glove winner (1995-96, 1999-2000 and 2004)...joins Hall of Famer Mays as only 2 players in baseball history to compile at least 425 2Bs, 100 3Bs, 300 HRs and 300 SBs...is active triples leader with 124, 5th-most since onset of divisional play in 1969...is tied with 4 others for 89th place on all-time triples list...career .272 hitter ranks 4th among active players with 2,531 hits, trailing only Craig Biggio (2,930), Bonds (2,841) and Julio Franco (2,566)...at 41 years of age in 2006, matched Mays' San Francisco-era record with 12 3Bs...also became 1st player aged 40-or-older to hit more than 8 triples in season since 41-year-old Honus Wagner had 17 3-baggers for 1915 Pittsburgh Pirates...2006 exploits added to his own triples lore, as with NL-high 10 3Bs in 2003 at age 38, became oldest player in history to lead league in 3-baggers...is 1 of 11 players ever to log pair of 3-HR games in same season, doing so in 1997...has reached 20-HR plateau 7 times, including quartet of 30-clout campaigns...durable player has played in all 162 games twice (1992 and 2004), while logging 6 other 150-contest seasons...broke into big leagues with Baltimore in 1989, and has played with Orioles (1989-90), Astros (1991-94), Padres (1995-98), Diamondbacks (1999- 2004), Dodgers (2004), Dodgers (2005) and Giants (2006).

Graduated from Paducah (KY) Tilghman High School...graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, earning degree in physiology...was accepted to chiropractic school (Logan College in St. Louis) but opted to play pro ball...was drafted by Atlanta in 11th round of June 1986 draft, but chose to remain at SIU, where he was 2-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer and 3rd-team All-American in 1986...member of 1986 Team USA squad that won bronze medal during international competition in Netherlands...married (Amy Jantzen, Jan. 3, 1992)...3 sons (Austin, Oct. 8, 1993; Reed, Sept. 1, 1995; and Blake, Feb. 23, 1997)...2 daughters (Franchesca, Sept. 10, 2001; and Sophia, Jan. 26, 2005).

Postseason:

Is no stranger to post season baseball, having advanced to playoffs 7 times with Padres (1996 and '98), Diamondbacks (1999, 2001-02), Dodgers (2004) and Angels (2005)...key contributor on San Diego's 1998 NL champions and 2001 Arizona club that won World Series, has batted .248 with 21 RBI in 52 career post season games...is lifetime .317 (13-for-41) playoff hitter with RISP, while going 10-for-27 (.370) with RISP and 2 out...batted .365 (19-for-52) and hit safely in 11 of 14 starts during Diamondbacks' run to 2001 title, including .368 mark (7-for-19) with HR and 2 RBI in 7-game World Series victory over Yankees.

A Giant in the Community:

Has been extremely active on every stop of big league career...
earned 1997 Chairman's Award with San Diego, as Padre who best exemplifies community spirit of team owner John Moores and his family...he and his wife, Amy, began a program in which they purchased 20 tickets for every game to enable underpriveleged children to attend games, and continued program with Diamondbacks...toured Hungary in 1992 and Indonesia in 1995, conducting youth baseball clinics and providing equipment to help form leagues...family also formed Steve Finley Charitable Youth Fund in 1993, encouraging kids to stay in school, earn a degree and stay drug free...is also contributor to "Teammates for Kids" Foundation formed by country music legend Garth Brooks.

2005 Career Highlights:

By Year:
Struggled in return to AL, hitting career-low .222 in 112 games...12 HRs and 54 RBI were lowest totals since 10 HR and 44 RBI in 1995 with SD (139 games)...After a .143 clip (1 HR, 5 RBI) in Aug., hit .277 (13/48) with 3 HRs and 6 RBI from Sept. 1-end of season...Connected for two-run HR in 4th inning, Sept. 26 at Oak., which proved to be game-winner...9 of 12 HRs hit on road, 5 of 12 HRs gave Angels lead...Hit 8 HR before ASB, just 4 HR after ASB...Batted .204 at home, .236 on road...Committed two errors, Aug. 27 at TB, marking first multi-error game of career...Missed 18 games (6/22-7/13) due to strained right shoulder...First DL stint since 1997...Posted walk-off, RBI single in 9th inning, April 7 vs. Texas...One of 18 active players at least 40 years old on Opening Day...Third different Opening Day CF for Angels in last three seasons...Only active player with 300 doubles, 200 HR and 100 triples.

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Related Blog:
Amy Finley,

Letter to Barbara Boxer:
Rebuilding in Harmony with Nature:

http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1029551




 

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