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.