Poor Steve Kline

The Twins won another one of those games that you love to see them win. The game where they trail early, appear beaten, then, with a little luck, come back and steal it.
The only down side for me was that it came at the hands of Steve Kline.
Kline signed with the Orioles as a free-agent this year after putting together four very solid seasons in St. Louis, that included a 1.79 ERA and 15 holds for the Cards in '04. I had hoped that the Twins might make a play on him since JC has been so inconsistent, but it didn't happen.
I also always remember an interview Kline gave on the field in September 2001. He was the winning pitcher in the first game played after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and after the game ESPN was talking to him and he said, in a creamy southern accent, "Man, I'm so goddamn proud to be an American right now I can't even believe it."
I thought it was funny.
Anyway, when I went to the Twins opener this year, I was sitting in Huberts watching the O's take on the Yanks, and Kline was pitching. He came in to face a couple lefties, and got ripped, giving up a lead in a game the O's went on to lose, I believe.
Too bad for Steve, I thought.
About a week later I was watching TV, O's again, this time playing someone else, I don't remember. Kline was on the hill, and the guy at the plate bunted. Kline and the first baseman both charged, and the second baseman went to cover first. Kline fielded the ball and threw to first. In one of the dumbest and funniest things I ever saw on a ball field, the first baseman, Jay Gibbons, who was about 15 feet from Kline and 40 from first, cut off his throw to the base. Instead of a sacrifice, the batter reached safely.
The next batter singled to left, and it went through the LF's legs and all the way to the wall.
Man, I thought. This guy Kline can't get a break.
Then earlier this week against KC, Kline was on the hill in a tie game with a runner on 3rd. He came set, and though it didn't look like he moved, he was called for a balk, and the runner on third came in for the winning run.
Geez, I thought, this is getting ridiculous for my boy Kline.
So when Jesse Crain pitched his ass off for the Twins to keep the game tied headed into the 10th, I wondered if we might see Steve Kline.
When he came into the game, I didn't know quite what to think. On one hand, I was happy, because I knew he would surrender the winning run. Given what had happened to him every time I'd seen him pitch so far this year it was a given.
I almost hoped he would pitch a scoreless inning and then the Twins would win later against someone else. But no, Kline gave up homeruns to Jacque and Stewie on consecutive pitches, and the Twins won.
A great win, but man. Steve Kline is having a tough time in Baltimore.