Biography (as told by Wikipedia)
Jesse Alan Crain (born July 5, 1981, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He currently plays for the Minnesota Twins.
High school and college
He is a graduate of Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He was named 1999 All-State and Colorado High School Player of the Year. He was a 2001 graduate of San Jacinto Junior College in Texas, where he was an All-Conference shortstop. In 2002, he was transferred to the University of Houston and was named an all-conference shortstop and relief pitcher. He was named first team All-America by Baseball America and Baseball Weekly and second team All-America by the ABCA. He was also named to Conference USA All-Academic team.
He is a graduate of Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He was named 1999 All-State and Colorado High School Player of the Year. He was a 2001 graduate of San Jacinto Junior College in Texas, where he was an All-Conference shortstop. In 2002, he was transferred to the University of Houston and was named an all-conference shortstop and relief pitcher. He was named first team All-America by Baseball America and Baseball Weekly and second team All-America by the ABCA. He was also named to Conference USA All-Academic team.
Minor leagues
He was drafted and signed in 2002, playing at the rookie level, and low-A minor league levels going 3-2 (wins/losses) with an 0.99 Earned Run Average combined. In 2003, he managed to pitch at all three levels in the minor leagues, going 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA. In 2004 he pitched with the AAA-ball Rochester Red Wings and went 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA before being called up by the Minnesota Twins.
He was drafted and signed in 2002, playing at the rookie level, and low-A minor league levels going 3-2 (wins/losses) with an 0.99 Earned Run Average combined. In 2003, he managed to pitch at all three levels in the minor leagues, going 6-3 with a 3.00 ERA. In 2004 he pitched with the AAA-ball Rochester Red Wings and went 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA before being called up by the Minnesota Twins.
Major leagues
Crain was called up by the Minnesota Twins in early August 2004, going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA. In 2005 he made the major league roster. Starting the season 8-0, he set a record for most consecutive wins in relief to start a career. On May 17, 2007, after a disastrous outing in which he gave up six unearned runs, Crain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn rotator cuff and labrum. He missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery. He returned to the team in 2008. He stepped up, along with Craig Breslow, to fill the eighth-inning setup role formerly occupied by Pat Neshek, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list on May 29th with an acute tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. He went 5-4 for the season, with a 3.59 ERA in 66 games.
Crain was called up by the Minnesota Twins in early August 2004, going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA. In 2005 he made the major league roster. Starting the season 8-0, he set a record for most consecutive wins in relief to start a career. On May 17, 2007, after a disastrous outing in which he gave up six unearned runs, Crain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn rotator cuff and labrum. He missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery. He returned to the team in 2008. He stepped up, along with Craig Breslow, to fill the eighth-inning setup role formerly occupied by Pat Neshek, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list on May 29th with an acute tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. He went 5-4 for the season, with a 3.59 ERA in 66 games.
Pitching Style
Crain is a power pitcher and features three plus pitches. He throws a fastball that sits 94-97 with some sink. A slider with tight downward movement that he throws 88-90. And a tight curveball in the high 70s that can be a real hammer because of its late downward break.
Crain is a power pitcher and features three plus pitches. He throws a fastball that sits 94-97 with some sink. A slider with tight downward movement that he throws 88-90. And a tight curveball in the high 70s that can be a real hammer because of its late downward break.
World Baseball Classic
Crain was selected to represent Canada at the World Baseball Classic. In the first game of the 2006 edition of the Classic, Crain came into the game in the 9th inning. He got the save as Canada beat the South Africans 11-8. In the 2009 edition of the WBC, he struck out all four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, with 90+mph pitches. However, his job as the relief pitcher wasn't able to stop the bleeding as Canada lost that game to Italy.
Crain was selected to represent Canada at the World Baseball Classic. In the first game of the 2006 edition of the Classic, Crain came into the game in the 9th inning. He got the save as Canada beat the South Africans 11-8. In the 2009 edition of the WBC, he struck out all four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, with 90+mph pitches. However, his job as the relief pitcher wasn't able to stop the bleeding as Canada lost that game to Italy.
