Jesse F'n Crain

How quickly a week changes one's opinion...

My last post wasted time extolling the virtues of a fundamentally sound baseball team that was attempting to prove that predictions of an early demise were nothing more than hyperbole, wrapped in an exaggeration.

Until Toronto.

In a series of one and two-run ball games, the Twins have now shown the world why they are much like the rest of the major leagues this season. Inconsistent. Error prone. Not solid at home. 3 of 4 against the Red Sox? Forget about it. This Twins team can't savor success for very long because they could easily drop five of the next six (which they just did). The two words that epitomize this sudden, but should have been expected, decline are as such.

Jesse Crain.

In recent memory, I can't recall seeing a pitcher melt down more than Mr. Crain. On Wednesday, he made what could be classified as a classic Little League mistake when, having caught the rapidly aging Scott Rolen in a rundown, young (?) Jesse threw to the spot Mike Lamb had occupied 10 seconds earlier before he did what any self-respecting third baseman would do in that situation--he headed to third.

Unfortunately, young Jesse didn't anticipate that "curveball" and instead decided to play an impromptu game of catch with the left fielder. Toronto goes up 6-4 and that run prevents the Twins from tying with their fifth run in the bottom of the 8th.

The next day, young Jesse gets the call in the 11th inning of a 2-2 game on getaway day at the Dome and gives up 2 hits and 2 walks in one inning, which, if you do the math, pretty much makes it impossible for Toronto NOT to score unless a double-play finds its way into the mix.

Today, however, was the proverbial icing on the cake that Crain built. Admittedly, the Twins had already dug themselves a hole when he entered the seventh inning down 5-2 and runners on 1st and 2nd. He then got the second out and walked the dangerous Brad Hawpe to get to the pitcher who, with a 5-2 lead, the Rockies were not going to replace. And then Crain did the unthinkable.

He threw 3 straight balls. To the pitcher. I understand because Taylor Buchholz's career batting average is .075 with 22 K's in 53 career at bats. 4 total hits, 3 total walks. Today was #4.

The sad thing is that you know there are Twins fans who think we need to hold on to Crain because of his potential. It's been two years since he won 12 games as a reliever and had an ERA under 3. His performance as a reliever in the past week is the epitome of why fundamentals are important for the following reasons--

1). In a rundown situation, first graders are taught to walk/run towards the runner to freeze them. Crain turned, took two steps and threw. To someone who was not there.

2). Given a chance for redemption the next night, Crain pitched batting practice to the Blue Jays for one inning. Relief pitcher should be the easiest job on the planet. You only have to come in for one or two innings (excluding long relievers, who usually have the benefit of coming into a game that is already out of control) at a crack and you can't get 3-6 outs without allowing a run? Especially when you're being paid a $1m?

3). Today's walk of a pitcher was embarrassing. It shows a total lack of focus on the task at hand. For God's sake...lob the damn ball in! What if the game was tied? Or the Twins had a one or two-run lead? Make him hit the ball and if he beats you, doff your cap and move on. But to hand it to him on a silver platter?

Cuddyer was quoted after the game as saying "You are going to have some games that are not so pretty." He should be embarrassed for even saying that. Good players do not accept that line of thinking. They get angry. They call out the team. They lead by example. The mantra can't be "MORNEAU! MAUER! and sometimes Gomez!".

It's time to shake things up. Crain represents the FG kicker who misses two FG's in a game marred by other mistakes and is cut as the scapegoat. Usually, the kicker doesn't deserve it. In this case, Crain does deserve it. If I could be paid a million dollars to work 30 minutes a day and do a lousy job, I'd take the money but I'd be embarrassed.

And based on the play in the past week, so should be the Twins.

Peace,

Reg

My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team...

Those immortal words spoken by "Lou Brown" manager of your Cleveland Indians from Major League fame just as the Wild Thing, Ricky Vaughn, got off the motorcycle at spring training, complete with razored in sideburns, are quite relevant as the first place Twins pulled off yet another come from behind win by the Twins this very Friday night.

Tonight made you forget about the free-swinging days of Jacque Jones and Torii Hunter when a team that batted a collective sub-.240 still found a way to win three straight division titles in spite of swinging at anything not being held by someone else. In those days, if Crash Davis had told Nuke to throw at the Twins mascot, it still would have been a strike (swinging). Nope, today's Twins actually want to see more than just the first pitch or two (thank you Carlos Gomez who sat on a 3-2 breaking pitch that in the past would have been a swinging strike three for any of a number of Twins) and actually make smart plays (Delmon Young's steal of third with two outs, while inocuous at first, opened up second base for the soon-to-be-walked Gomez to steal, again on defensive indifference, and set the stage for two to score on Lamb's bloop single).

When young Isabelle saw it in her heart to give baseball a second chance last Sunday after the National Anthem, I got the chance to firsthand see this team gut out a comeback after Boof Bonser pitched an 0-6 hole right out of the first inning gate. (BTW, the Twins are winning in spite of Boof's best efforts to pitch otherwise--can a brother get at least a few shutout innings from a guy who is supposed to be the #1, which btw is now happily occupied by Mr. Hernandez, Livan, if you please).

Speaking of young Izzy, while she wailed during the National Anthem, she "settled down" and went seven strong, allowing her previously-mentioned father figure to see the entire Twins comeback. One day, she will pick the proper song during which to wail..."God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch. Not only did I not remove my cap, I didn't even stand until the song was finished and they started Take Me Out to the Ballgame, the true seventh-inning stretch tradition (and celebrating it's 100th birthday--more on that in another blog).

Why do we insist on singing two patriotic--strike that, one patriotic and one self-importantly jingoistic song, during a major league baseball game? And then to request people remove their caps for the second one? Listen, I'm all for singing the National Anthem before any sporting event...it is because we are a free country that we don't have to worry about the government executing a pitcher for throwing "ground balls, it's more democratic". But we have one National Anthem, not two, and patriotism doesn't need to be slammed down everyone's throat during a baseball game.

Especially when the song is one that associates our country with a divine being...your beliefs aside, church and state are and should forever be separate. Not everyone is a believer and not everyone is a patriot.

But we all should be baseball fans. Izzy proved Sunday she has the potential. And if you are, this is a fun Twins club to follow right now.

Right, Charlie?

Peace,
Reg