Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Alma Mater:
- Southern Illinois, 2005
One of the best players in program history, P.J. Finigan served nine seasons as SIU's pitching coach. In his nine seasons at SIU, Finigan developed 18 All-MVC pitchers at SIU, two freshman All-Americans and seven MLB Draft picks. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2018 season.
Finigan's staffs in 2013, 2014, and 2016 posted three of the top-five ERAs by any Saluki team in the last 36 seasons. His 2013 and 2014 staffs were led by Sam Coonrod, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft and recently made his Major League debut with the San Francisco Giants. Coonrod is one of eight Finigan pupils that has been drafted in the seven-year stretch from 2013-19.
In 2017 under Finigan's leadership, Ryan Netemeyer was one of the best pitchers in the nation. Netemeyer was a finalist for National Pitcher of the Year and semifinalist for NCBWA Stopper of the Year after saving 15 games, which was an SIU record and ranked second in the NCAA at the conclusion of the regular season.Â
Netemeyer and Chad Whitmer both earned All-MVCÂ honors after the 2017 season. Whitmer led the MVC in strikeouts during the regular season and finished the year with 11 quality starts and 95 strikeouts--the second-most by a Saluki since 2000.
Two SIU pitchers were taken in the 2017 MLB Draft. Chad Whitmer was selected in the 10th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, and Joey Marciano was taken in the 36th round by the San Francisco Giants. Michael Baird was taken in the 23rd round by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 MLB Draft. Whitmer and Sam Coonrod (5th round in 2014) are top-10 round MLB Draft picks tutored by Finigan.Â
The program's top three team ERA marks in the last 36 years are a direct result of Finigan's pitching (3.38 in 2005) or coaching (3.50 in 2014 and 3.64 in 2016).Â
Finigan developed the 2016 pitching staff into one of the best in the Midwest. The Salukis had a 3.64 ERA, which was second in the MVC and nearly a run lower than the league average. Michael Baird, Chad Whitmer and Ryan Netemeyer all earned All-MVC honors after the season.
Finigan developed Baird into the conference's best pitcher in 2016. Baird earned the MVC ERA title for both all games (1.76) and league games (1.53). His season ERA in 102 innings (1.76) ranked 12th nationally. Netemeyer recorded 12 saves, which ranked second in SIU single-season history and ranked top-25 nationally in 2016.Â
An infielder/pitcher for the Salukis from 2002-05, Finigan was the 2005 Joe Carter Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. He helped the Salukis to three 30-win seasons before he spent four seasons as a pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. In 2005, Finigan became the only player in MVC history to earn first-team All-MVC honors as both a pitcher and position player.Â
During his fourth season as the pitching coach, SIU had two pitchers (Sam Coonrod, Todd Eaton) taken in the MLB draft. Finigan developed left-handed pitcher Kyle Pauly, who was one of nine relief pitchers to be named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Under Finigan's guidance in 2015, LHP Aaron Hauge earned second-team All-MVC honors.
Finigan was instrumental in the development of Forsythe, a three-time All-Conference selection who finished his career in 2013 as SIU's all-time leader in games started and innings pitched. Forsythe posted an 11-7 record and a 1.95 ERA in 21 conference starts over his last three seasons. Under Finigan's tutelage, Eaton finished his career with the second most saves in program history with 19.
The 2012 squad issued the second fewest walks among Valley schools in conference games, a total of 58 walks and an average of fewer than three per nine innings. In addition, the Salukis' staff struck out 409 batters, the highest SIU total since 2005 and the third most in school history.
In 2011, his first season as pitching coach, Finigan's impact was felt immediately. Working with the third smallest pitching staff in the nation, Finigan saw the staff lower its ERA from 6.62 in 2010 to 4.53 in his first season.
In Finigan's first season as pitching coach, the Salukis issued 173 walks, the lowest total in the Missouri Valley Conference and the lowest total by an SIU team since 2007. The Salukis also recorded 14 saves, the third most in school history, despite season-ending injuries to key relievers. Dray stepped into the closer's role and was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, an award that Finigan won in 2002.
Following his senior season at SIU, Finigan was selected by the Tigers in the seventh round (210th overall) in the 2005 draft. Finigan was the first pitcher of his draft class to reach double-A, doing so in 2006. He remained there until 2007, when he went on the disabled list for two seasons. Injuries to his elbow and three surgeries, including two Tommy John surgeries, forced him to retire from playing.
In 2005 Finigan won the MVC batting crown with a .386 batting average. He also had 48 RBIs, four triples and six home runs that year. However, he did his real damage on the mound, posting a 9-3 record with a 3.24 ERA. He is the only player in Missouri Valley Conference history to earn All-MVC honors both as a pitcher and hitter in the same season.Â
Finigan's four complete games that year are the second most by a Saluki since 1991. That season he also struck out 107 batters in 105 innings pitched and finished his career with a 12-5 record. Finigan played in 218 games, the fifth-most by a Saluki in program history. He also ranks sixth at SIU in career at-bats (837), eighth in doubles (47), seventh in triples (13), 10th in hits (251) and 10th in RBIs (135).
A Springfield native, he and his wife, Courtney, were married in the fall of 2010. They have two children, Turner and C.C.
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