CASPER
New member
CHICAGO – Jesse Crain can't help it: Pitching for the White Sox is going to be a bit odd for a reliever who has played his entire seven-year career for AL Central rival Minnesota.
Of course, Crain said, the Twins didn't make an effort to keep him before he signed three-year, $13-million offer with Chicago.
"It's going to be weird," he said Monday. "I came up with the Twins. I've never been anywhere else. I'm very good friends with the players over there. (So) I'm going to look at it as a challenge. It's going to be fun to go back there and face them."
Crain, a 29-year-old right-hander, went 1-1 with a 3.04 ERA in 71 appearances in 2010 while giving up 23 earned runs and striking out 62 batters. Between June 10 and Aug. 31, he had a 0.28 ERA in 35 games, including a streak of 21 scoreless appearances (20 innings).
He is expected to help fill a hole left by the departure of former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, who has agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, a deal still in the process of being finalized.
Jenks saved 27 games last season but lost his closing job at the end of the year when he struggled with injuries. He was second in White Sox history with 173 saves since joining Chicago midseason in 2005 and helping the club win its first World Series since 1917.
Of course, Crain said, the Twins didn't make an effort to keep him before he signed three-year, $13-million offer with Chicago.
"It's going to be weird," he said Monday. "I came up with the Twins. I've never been anywhere else. I'm very good friends with the players over there. (So) I'm going to look at it as a challenge. It's going to be fun to go back there and face them."
Crain, a 29-year-old right-hander, went 1-1 with a 3.04 ERA in 71 appearances in 2010 while giving up 23 earned runs and striking out 62 batters. Between June 10 and Aug. 31, he had a 0.28 ERA in 35 games, including a streak of 21 scoreless appearances (20 innings).
He is expected to help fill a hole left by the departure of former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, who has agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, a deal still in the process of being finalized.
Jenks saved 27 games last season but lost his closing job at the end of the year when he struggled with injuries. He was second in White Sox history with 173 saves since joining Chicago midseason in 2005 and helping the club win its first World Series since 1917.