"Competitive balance highlights MLB's first half" from Yahoo!

Competitive balance highlights MLB's first half

Where you at, Yankees?

It's Braun Time - Ryan Braun

This '05 1st round pick from The U has been a stud ever since playing 3B full time in Brewers town. He's hitting almost .400OBP & .350AVG &.600SLG with 8HR's, and this kid can run, too, 8SB's in 36gms. Alex Gordon & Ryan Zimmerman (both 3B, coincidentally) were drafted before this 5th overall stud in '05. So much have been expected about Gordon's full-time playing time & Zimmerman has proven his franchise value in his rookie year last season. Where were the buzz about Braun? Maybe again, it's gotta do with small-town media coverage. Money is on this The U product to be a favorite to win ROY. Not sure about his fielding yet (7 errors in 36gms already), but he's got a good bat and anchor that 3rd spot ahead of Prince Fielder for the Brew Crew. Braun & Fielder are forming a solid 1-2 punch in the NL quietly. It's neat to see so many young stud 3B's rising up in the last couple of seasons.

You don't know Jack - Jack Cust

A 28-year old career minor leaguer, former 1st round pick, Jack Cust who was traded for the bare minimum (player to be named later, PTBNL or cash considerations) to the A's from the Padres now leads his new team with 14 HR's & hits .281 with .400+OBP & .611SLG. How the hack did anyone miss this guy? Other 29 teams didn't pick up on this guy, in fact, Jack Cust played for 4 teams (ARI, COL, BAL & SD) before ending up as an everyday hitter in Oakland this season. Shouldn't the scouts from other 29 teams be embrassed (especially the staff of the four teams Cust played for previsouly)?!

Cust is no 5-tool guy. A high schooler drafted out in the 1st round, he must be thought of being a solid everyday player. Average height but with a nice build at 230lbs, this guy (he's no longer a kid at 27) can hit. Who cares if he can't throw out the guy at home from the warning track or climb the wall to rob homers. So what he runs like almost a catcher. He's a professional hitter! It may sound like a hindsight 20/20, but Cust was solid hitting prospect in the minors to say the least (he hit over .400OBP & almost .550SLG in 'o6 at AAA and a decent '05 for A's AAA team). San Diego, please tell me that you don't want to play this guy everyday this season over Terrmel Sledge & José Cruz. It's different on a NL team, understandably, because the lack of DH and the need for utility defense skill. Still, Sledge & Cruz can't hit for jack. However, how could other 13 AL teams don't even want to give up almost nothing (maybe a bucket of balls and a couple of bats) for Cust??

Cust may not be an All-Star just yet, nonetheless Oakland picked up on this guy & paying him only minor league money, this is the dictionary definition of Moneyball. It really makes you wonder what these Major League teams pay their scouts for. Every ordinary fan can point out past All-Stars and recent top draft picks as their next solid picks for this year's studs. If a Major League team can't pick up a guy who's put up convincing numbers at a the high minor league level and opt for some other scrubs, that's a major offense of running its team to the ground.


Good for Jack. He's hitting 4th in the lineup, playing everyday in the Bigs. If you haven't heard of Cust, you really don't know jack. He will be an All-Star someday.