Are calf raises too specific?

And are they necessary? I mean as a strengthening exercise for running.

Having strong and healthy calves is a good and necessary thing for running.

But I feel calf raises may be too specific an exercise. I've tried doing them at different times but have always given them up as they cause twinges and tweaks other leg exercise never seem to.

Can you train your calves enough doing more functional strengthening exercises like squats, dead lifts, and step ups? And why do calf raises bother me?

Maybe I just haven't done enough of them.