After a long winter of rehab, Crain gets to test his shoulder

Twins reliever Jesse Crain spent last winter in Minnesota. This is unusual. Ballplayers do not often choose to live on the tundra.

Joe Mauer was born in St. Paul. He winters in Florida. Justin Morneau's home is Vancouver, and he loves hockey. He winters in Arizona. Crain was raised in Colorado, played college ball in Houston, and can afford to live lots of places.

He bought a house in Lakeville, anyway, and spent the winter there. And not because he lost a bet, or got blinded in a snowstorm and unpacked at the first shelter he found. (Which is how Minnesota was discovered.)

No, Crain devoted himself to rehabilitating his surgically repaired right shoulder and if you're going to embark on a single-minded quest, a Minnesota winter (otherwise referred to by the Native American nickname "Whydowelivehere?") is a great place to avoid distractions. Like sunlight.

"The reason I stayed was because I was set up with a physical therapist, Sue Johnson," Crain said. "We just got into the house this summer, and this gave us an excuse to stay there.

"I'm used to the cold, and I still live in Colorado, but it's not even a comparison. Not even close."

This Minnesota winter was worse than most.

"That's what everybody keeps telling me," Crain said. "I don't know. It's the only winter here I've seen, so ... let's just say it was pretty cold. But we had a good time, and it was definitely worth it."

All those hours of rehab allowed Crain to return to the mound in a big-league game Tuesday night. He faced four batters in the Twins' 9-1 loss to the Angels, retiring two of the three batters he faced before issuing an intentional walk.

Last May, he went on the disabled list with what was described as shoulder inflammation. On May 29, he underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff, which led to a leisurely summer and grueling winter in Lakeville.

"I only went to physical therapy two times a week, but that was after I started my throwing program," he said. "I was throwing three times a week, and I worked out four or five times a week as well. By Thursday and Friday each week my arm was getting pretty well worn out."

Crain is buddies with Twins teammate Glen Perkins, who lives in Lakeville, and he wound up buying a house down the street. Last summer, Crain, his wife Becky and his son Hunter, now 2, would walk to Main Street to visit Dairy Delite, an old-fashioned outdoor ice cream joint. This winter, he threw with Perkins at Velocity Sports in Burnsville and worked out at the Lakeville Lifetime Fitness.

In short, he was a real Minnesotan -- he reveled in summer and ground his teeth all winter.

"We really like Lakeville," Crain said. "Great neighborhood, lots of kids, a great school district if Hunter ever goes to school there. We have a good time. Lakeville's been good to us so far."

Crain was a quiet, professional presence in the clubhouse until this spring, when he suddenly became gregarious. "I was thinking about that myself," Crain said. "I think going through what I went through last year, and working my way through it, and the way the Twins have treated me this year, and worked with me, understanding where I'm coming from and what I've been through, I just feel real comfortable. I'm just happy to be back.

"I think I got rejuvenated last year. This year, I think I'm really ready to focus, I really have that drive. Sometimes, for whatever reason, I felt like I lost my drive a couple of times last year. I think it was because my arm was hurt. You can get a little discouraged.

"My main goal this year is to stay healthy. If I can do that, I'll be back next year at 110 percent."

Crain has powerful motivation. If he doesn't have to rehab in Minnesota, maybe he can rent his house and winter someplace warmer. Like Des Moines.

Jim Souhan can be heard Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon on AM-1500 KSTP. • jsouhan@startribune.com