Redefining "Cained"

It has been popular among Giants fans to call whenever Matt Cain has a good start and either don't get the support offensively (low scoring game) or defensively (error happens or bullpen implodes), they say that he's been Cained.  I wonder if Matt Cain might have redefined that term over the weekend

Here are a variety of the reporting on Cain's start last Saturday:  Baggarly (check out video of Cain there), Schulman, Giants Extra blog entry, MLB.

Giants Thoughts

The term that Bochy used to describe Cain's effort is "old school" but maybe it would be more fitting if we say that the Giants "Cained" the D-backs.

Not only did Cain throw a DOM start, but he also went 2 for 3, drove in two runs with his double (second of the season), and he broke up a potential double-play with a slide into second that would have made Ty Cobb proud, cleats up.  He did it all, not just so the Giants could win, not just to avenge his loss earlier in the season against AZ (which was a DOM start but just bad luck with the balls in play resulting in earned runs), but also to prevent the D-backs from continuing their ownage of the Giants:  the Giants had lost 9 straight to their division rivals and a loss in that game would have made it double digits at 10.

Here is a quote from the MLB report:

"What an old school type of effort. He did everything tonight," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's playing the game the way it's supposed to be played. The pitchers can help themselves, too. A great effort and we needed it. It's nice to get on the board here." 

The big hit of the night came in the sixth inning with two outs when Cain drilled a 2-1 sinker down the right-field line to plate two runs.

"That's a huge compliment," said Cain of Bochy's old school comment. "That was the way I was brought up and taught. If things aren't going your way, try to find ways to make it work, find ways to help your team."

In the Cain video, he mentioned what I was thinking, "I think it'll carry over to tomorrow."

Though I was thinking more that it might lead to better play going forward.  The Giants won three straight before losing, though battling back in that game as well.  I'm wondering if that was a turning point, where one of the leaders of the team, Matt Cain, showed the team how it's done to win a game:  pitching his heart out, breaking up double plays aggressively, then driving in two runs.  He Cained the D-backs, but good.

I figured now is as good as any, after the loss, to mention this because I didn't have time to post this over Mother's Day weekend and doing it after wins don't seem right either.  Hopefully the Giants will Cain some more teams along the way.