Jack Cust

[TruffleShuffle]

A hero to the OBP community everywhere, Jack Cust, has found his way into an organization that may well give him a legitimate shot in the bigs. Admittedly, he is a butcher in the field, but in Oakland he can DH while Piazza is hurt. He had the stigma of being a flop in the majors, even though he was only bad for 65 ABs with Colorado in 2002 (169/295/246/541) and then was pretty good for Baltimore in 2003 (260/357/521/878), then was banished to the minors for the past three years.

 

So far this year he has a line of 318/444/1000/1444, with 5 HR in 22 AB. Obviously he won't keep this up, but given his AAA line of 293/467/549/1016 (143 walks!) last year and a career minor league line of 285/429/514/943, would it really be a surprise for him to be a better hitter than Piazza at this stage of their careers? I'm hoping that he continues to rake and get on base while Piazza is out... I always thought he deserved more than the halfhearted chances he's gotten in the bigs.

[Rob]

Jack Cust is just another data point to counter the argument that a player isn't big league caliber just because it seems every GM is passing on him.

[TruffleShuffle]

Jack Cust is just another data point to counter the argument that a player isn't big league caliber just because it seems every GM is passing on him.

 

I understand why SD/Colorado would pass on him, given that he is, but nearly all accounts, a butcher in the field. But given that AL teams have been starting guys like Jay Gibbons, Mike Sweeney, Shea Hillenbrand, Mike Redmond and Jose Vidro -- many of whom are overpaid in addition to being unproductive -- how is it that no team thought to give a chance to a guy with a career .429 OBP and 943 OPS in the minors? He had only about 170 major league PAs, for God's sakes!

[Rob]

Jack Cust is just another data point to counter the argument that a player isn't big league caliber just because it seems every GM is passing on him.

 

I understand why SD/Colorado would pass on him, given that he is, but nearly all accounts, a butcher in the field. But given that AL teams have been starting guys like Jay Gibbons, Mike Sweeney, Shea Hillenbrand, Mike Redmond and Jose Vidro -- many of whom are overpaid in addition to being unproductive -- how is it that no team thought to give a chance to a guy with a career .429 OBP and 943 OPS in the minors? He had only about 170 major league PAs, for God's sakes!

 

The dangers of groupthink.

[TruffleShuffle]

The dangers of groupthink.

 

Yup. Even more bizarre is that the A's had Cust under their control in 2005, when Scott Hatteberg and his 79 OPS+ at DH for most of the year. Why didn't they use him at DH when Hatteberg was struggling so badly? I have no idea.

 

With Piazza out for quite some time, I hope that he gets regular playing time for at least a month or two. If you get to the all-star break and his bat has been anemic, maybe then it's time to stick a fork in him. But it really seems like he has been written off in the past without really getting a shot to prove what he can do against big league pitchers.

[TruffleShuffle]

bump for jack's 6th hr of the year today... down 8-7 with 2 outs in the 9th, gave the a's the 10-7 victory

[Rob]

I just saw what happened and was looking to bump this thread. :lol:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Rotoworld's quote on the HR is great!

 

Barry Bonds, David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero... There are some major league hitters you just can't let beat you in the late innings of a close game. Chief among them all, however, is almost certainly Jack Cust. Cust would have gotten his chance years ago, but every GM in baseball knew that to use him was to risk shaking the very foundation of the game. That Cust has had to wait until 28 for regular playing time will probably prevent him from reaching 1,000 career homers, which is a shame. Still, 500 is very much in reach, perhaps by the end of the season.

[soccer10k]

Rotoworld's quote on the HR is great!

 

Barry Bonds, David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero... There are some major league hitters you just can't let beat you in the late innings of a close game. Chief among them all, however, is almost certainly Jack Cust. Cust would have gotten his chance years ago, but every GM in baseball knew that to use him was to risk shaking the very foundation of the game. That Cust has had to wait until 28 for regular playing time will probably prevent him from reaching 1,000 career homers, which is a shame. Still, 500 is very much in reach, perhaps by the end of the season.

 

Nah, Rotoworld is wrong. Cust will easily have 500 by the ASB, pass Bonds/Aaron in mid-August and he'll hit 1000 on September 29.

[TruffleShuffle]

Think Billy Beane is wondering why the hell he gave Mike Piazza $8.5M last offseason? That contract seemed like a bad idea to me at the time; the fact that Jack Cust can probably outhit Piazza makes it seem even worse now.

[Post Count Padder]

As good as Cust has been thus far in limited action and throughout his minor league career, I'll always remember him for his base running gaffe for the Orioles a couple seasons ago. I believe it was bottom of the 9th and he's racing home to score the game tying run, and he trips and falls, gets caught in a run down and is tagged out to end the game. It went something like that, I don't know if that's how it exactly went.

[jersey cubs fan]

Think Billy Beane is wondering why the hell he gave Mike Piazza $8.5M last offseason? That contract seemed like a bad idea to me at the time; the fact that Jack Cust can probably outhit Piazza makes it seem even worse now.

 

Not sure why more low payroll AL teams wouldn't jump at a guy like him. Considering how expensive good DH's can be, you'd think they would jump at the chance.

[TruffleShuffle]

Cust and Dan Johnson were named co-players of the week in the AL for last week

[Lockes Eye Scar]

I picked him up in my league to replace Frank Thomas

[Ding Dong Johnson]

sounds like a porn star

[TruffleShuffle]

During Sunday's game, Padres executive Grady Fuson, who used to work for the A's, sent a message to Beane: "Something tells me we need more money for Cust."

[TruffleShuffle]

Jack hit what should've been his second game winning HR in five days, but Kiko Calero blew the game for the A's in the 9th inning, and they lost by a run.

[Derwood]

Jack hit what should've been his second game winning HR in five days, but Kiko Calero blew the game for the A's in the 9th inning, and they lost by a run.

 

why is the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz wearing the Wicked Witch's hat and riding a unicorn with a comely young maiden in your signature?

[TruffleShuffle]

took a 95 mph Matt Cain fastball out to right yesterday... 8th HR, and is tied for the MLB lead in HR this month.

[BDWeav71]

Jack hit what should've been his second game winning HR in five days, but Kiko Calero blew the game for the A's in the 9th inning, and they lost by a run.

 

why is the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz wearing the Wicked Witch's hat and riding a unicorn with a comely young maiden in your signature?

 

 

It's from Scrubs

[jjgman21]

why doesn't Chris Shelton start a baseball instruction camp? career minor league OBP of .423 and OPS of 954. dude had 9 HRs in 13 games last year.

[Productive Outs]

took a 95 mph Matt Cain fastball out to right yesterday... 8th HR, and is tied for the MLB lead in HR this month.

 

he has 16 BB in 58 PA, good for a .190 IsoD.

[TruffleShuffle]

took a 95 mph Matt Cain fastball out to right yesterday... 8th HR, and is tied for the MLB lead in HR this month.

 

he has 16 BB in 58 PA, good for a .190 IsoD.

 

his IsoD as a minor leaguer was .144... last year at AAA it was .174. According to Rotoworld, he's achieved one of the three true outcomes (BB, K, HR) in 72% of his PAs.

 

and that 1.429 OPS is awful juicy

[Jon]

My introduction to Cust: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2002/B08020CHN2002.htm

 

Can't say I was too happy about staying an extra three innings.

[TruffleShuffle]

My introduction to Cust: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2002/B08020CHN2002.htm

 

Can't say I was too happy about staying an extra three innings.

 

wow, who's that cub starter that struck out 13 guys? must've been a good player.