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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 15, 2007
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I am really glad to see Jack Cust starting to heat up at the plate. Hes hit 3 home runs in the last 4 games and has moved his batting average up to .244. Its a good thing for the A's if Cust can get going and im glad to see it cuase i was one of those that was started to worry that Cust might have been a one hit wonder. Hopefully this will continue and he can prove all his doubters wrong.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2006
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It is still early in the season and this is, at this point, just a very small hot streak, but I said it before. His batting average was down at .155 and his OBP was still at .380. He still has patience and a good eye at the plate. He is still a selective hitter and knows how to take pitches off the plate. I still don't think he has lost it; just that he was off to a slow start. He definitely is a streaky hitter, but even during his slumps he manages to rack up the walks. If Jack Cust stops walking AND stops hitting then I might start to worry. There is also the story about the bats that is coming out now. Who knows, maybe that is why the hits weren't dropping in or sailing out. Either way, it looks like he is starting to come around for the Athletics. I do wish we didn't have to play him in the outfield though. I think I would still rather see an OF consisting of Ryan Sweeney, Chris Denorfia, and Travis Buck (when he comes back) with Emil Brown providing help and rest. Brown is still a very tough decision for me. I can't deny his numbers with RISP, but he hasn't impressed me outside of that yet. We are going to have some problems when Eric Chavez, Rich Harden, and Keith Foulke come back. I also hear that Kiko Calero is on the road to recovery as well...
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Reputation:85
Level:All-Star
Since:Jan 14, 2008
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I hope Cust can hit because he sure is not much of a fielder
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2006
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Heading into yesterday's game, Jack Cust had 25 walks and 30 strike outs over 108 plate appearances. Last season he accumulated 105 walks and 164 strike outs over 501 plate appearances. If you extend his pace last season over 600 plate appearances, he would have walked 126 times while striking out 196 times. If you extend his pace this season (prior to yesterday's game) over 600 plate appearances, then he would walk 139 times with 167 strikeouts. That is a pretty significant improvement, bot in increasing his walk total and lowering his strike out rate. There are two more things to note regarding these figures: The first of course is that they are only through one month of the season, so it is a smaller sample size. One month is still a lot better size than one week, and could be a pretty decent indicator. The second thing worth noting is that this statistical improvement has come while Cust was undeniably slumping. Typically when a player is slumping like that you would expect to see all of his figured (not just his average) drop. His strike out and walk numbers have still managed to improve in the midst of his slump.
We'll have to look at this again in another month I think to see where he is then and how the numbers compare two months into the season.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 27, 2007
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From MLB.com...
Oakland Athletics designated hitter Jack Cust has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 4th.
*snips promotional considerations*
Cust hit .500 (10-20) last week with three home runs, a double and four RBI. The 29-year-old designated hitter posted a 1.000 slugging percentage along with a .600 on-base percentage. During a road series against the Angels, Cust went 6-for-10 with a home run, which was hit during his 4-for-4, three-run, two-walk game on May 1st. In a weekend home set against Texas, Cust went 4-for-10 with two home runs and three RBI, including Sunday's go-ahead, seventh inning two-run shot in Oakland's 3-1 win. The New Jersey native is batting .244 on the season with four home runs, 11 RBI and a .426 on-base percentage. This marks Jack's second career weekly award, having also won in May last year (week ending 5/14/2007).
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 20, 2008
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I agree with your sentiment and am happy to see Jack starting to swing the bat a little better. I think he'll continue to hit. The question is how much of this is related to his playing time in the OF. We are starting to see a logjam @ DH. It also looks as though they are going to wait a little longer to activate Buck. If Cust gets enough ABs he should end up with 30 Dingers and about 90 RBIs. However, I am not sold on Brown...Yes he has posted some awesome RISP stats and leads the team in RBIs as a result, but the remainder of his stats don't lead me to believe that he'll sustain that level of production throughout the season. I also am a little unsure of moving Gaudin to the Bullpen. I love Rich Harden, he can flat out pitch. But given his history of injuries and lingering problems, maybe a move to closer could be just what he needs to stay healthy. Then Billy could move Street for some more prospects.
J
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2006
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While I definitely agree with your desire to see Chad Gaudin in the starting rotation for the Athletics, I disagree with your method of making it happen. The A's just moved Justin Duchscherer from the bullpen (and not even the closer role, which is utilized more heavily) to the starting rotation in an attempt to keep him healthy. I do not think that moving Rich Harden from the rotation to the bullpen, where he would have to pitch consecutive days, possibly warm up multiple times in a game, have a shorter amount of time to warm up, etc. would help him stay healthy. I don't think his injuries are a result of him overextending himself and pitching too deep into ballgames.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 15, 2007
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So is it just my imagination or has Jack Cust looked a whole lot better in the outfield over the last week or two? He seems to be more comfortable out there and i have even seen him make some very nice catches on the run and i remember one in perticular were he made a nice grab one the run and then slammed into the left field wall.
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Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 20, 2008
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Here is another way of looking at the "hit-or-miss statistics", that is what I call BBs versus Ks, at least he is not hitting into a large amount of DPs. I would rather give up one out 60% of the time rather than two. I think I saw a stat yesterday that showed Cust 2nd in the league in On Base Percentage. So as long as he continues to show patience at the plate I like him in the lineup.
The DH situation is coming to a head and soon. The A's have 6 games in a row coming up versus the NL where they are going to have to sit the DH. With Cust in the outfield and Mike Sweeney at first, Thomas and Barton are not going to see much time. If I were Cust I would be hoping that Randy Johnson will miss the A's games. That game may be a good one for all the left-hand hitters of Oakland to sit out.
Travis Buck had a good 3 game series over the holiday break, going 8-13 and that with only 1-5 in the first game. I noticed that Chavez had not played since Saturday and did not play the last 2 games for the Rivercats. Let's hope he was just resting.
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