ANtics Episode 3.12: A Cust Above

by louismg on May 13, 2007 11:50 PM PDT in News

I think I missed the chapter in Moneyball that said "Make sure everybody gets injured and you call up career minor leaguers". Maybe it died at the editor's table, or will be a new add to the second edition. Nevertheless, Billy Beane's roster creativity has paid dramatic dividends, sparking a previously moribund offense, now riding the coattails of one John Joseph Cust.

Sunday's drama? No surprise to those who attended the legendary Jack Cust Baseball Academy. I heard you have to hit home runs in 4 consecutive games just to graduate! But on to the ANtics!

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Poll

Jack Cust is...

a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

84 votes

a concoction created in Billy Beane's lab.

223 votes

part man, part machine.

97 votes

the father of my child.

28 votes

a part-time fill-in on a hot streak.

221 votes

Other (Write-in Below).

12 votes

665 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 28 comments

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I voted "a concoction created in BB's lab"...

but once I read the Rotoworld feed on the sidebar, I realized the error of my ways. Beane did not create Cust; rather, he was the one to break the pact among MLB GM's that Cust never see the light of day in a major league stadium:

"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."

Considering Rotoworld usually reads like a news bulletin for fantasy sports, I was totally unprepared for this one. Must have hired a new writer, maybe one assigned exclusively to cover the heroic feats of Cust. What Pedro Gomez is to Barry Bonds, this guy would be to Cust.

Yeah, well, Cust sure has come a long way since the days he was tripping over third base as the potential game-winning run for the Orioles, hasn't he?

by Cutthemullet on May 14, 2007 12:43 AM PDT 0 recs

He says, "I've got a lot of experience"

meaning his eleven years in pro baseball.

The guy has the confidence. With that swing and pretty good plate discipline, he should do somewhere between David Ortiz and Matt Stairs IMO.

Don't know if Thomas had six HRs for the A's last year by now. So Cust could project to 36 or so...

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 14, 2007 12:52 AM PDT up 0 recs

By May 13, 2006

Frank Thomas had 7 home runs. He had 5 home runs in April, one on May 7 and another on May 10.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/

by louismg on May 14, 2007 12:57 AM PDT up 0 recs

And Thomas had some off time after May 15

where he waan't playing, I believe.

If Cust can handle the mental aspect of all this, I think he does 35-36 HRs in 450 ABs.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 14, 2007 10:55 AM PDT up 0 recs

somewhere between Ortiz and Stairs

that's a pretty big range

by Cutthemullet on May 14, 2007 4:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

Unless you're just talkin' weight....

...and in that category Cust (231) is closer to Ortiz (230) than Stairs (215).

"There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, 'You never know.'"--Joaquin Andujar

by GreenNGoldSooner on May 14, 2007 7:08 AM PDT up 0 recs

230?!

Maybe when Ortiz was born...I'd guess 260-270

by Cutthemullet on May 15, 2007 2:18 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm thinking level of home runs...

Stairs had a couple of 30+ home run years, but some down years too. Ortiz has had 40+ years, and some lesser ones. Putting in the fuzzy bars of a "low prognosis" based on averaging Stairs, and a "high prognosis" based on averaging Ortiz, I figure Cust coming in at 35 HRs this year, unless they drop him for Piazza and Cust doesn't get 450 ABs.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 14, 2007 10:52 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ortiz and Stairs

Actually one of his BP comps is Jeremy Giambi, so you might want to lower the bottom of the range from Stairs a little bit! This has been one amazing week, and let's just hope that the low end of the expected range is irrelevant, shall we?

by BerkeleyDawg on May 14, 2007 2:33 PM PDT up 0 recs

Voted "a part-time fill-in on a hot streak" ..

.. but I hope his hot streak lasts as long as possible, at least until Piazza gets back if not longer .. let's hope our pitchers' hot streak continues as well ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on May 14, 2007 7:08 AM PDT 0 recs

Missing poll option.

How about a headline writer's dream come true? This one is called a "Cust" above; the sportsfeed to the left on the main page can hardly contain its punning self:

"Customary Jack Lifts A's Over Tribe"
"Ninth-Inning Victory Is Customized"
"Castoff Cust Caps Compelling Comeback"

Christ, can't they cut it out? It's headline writers' crazy Christmas.

So it goes.

by jeepers on May 14, 2007 7:29 AM PDT 0 recs

Oakland A's: Closer Killers

"San Jose A's of Fremont" makes baby Jesus cry

by ArakSOT on May 14, 2007 7:33 AM PDT 0 recs

My hope is

That Cust is not a Wayne Gross clone. For those who remember the dismal 1977 season. Gross began the season by blasting 15 hr's by the all star break. That was a huge amount in those days, when 33 would win the hr title. He made the all star team, then proceeded to hit 7 the rest of the year when the league pitching figured him out. Gross would have hit 50 hr's a year if the right field foul line was about another 15 degrees. But to his credit, Cust has good a good eye, and a sweet swing. Go Jack Go.Cust needs a nickname...B17 would be good

by billyball1981 on May 14, 2007 10:23 AM PDT 0 recs

I recall Wayne Gross' fielding more than his HRs

You don't need that apostrophe ("hr's"); it seems people add apostrophes like sprinkling a little pepper on something.

It's strictly anecdotal, but I seem to recall Wayne Gross making a bad throw or muff a grounder just at the moment that caused the most damage to the team.

He had a few timely home runs, but that 1977 team was fascinatingly bad. That's when I became an A's fan, rooting for Mitchell Page.

I think Cust wasn't drafted in the first round for no reason. He has good plate discipline.... more walks than Crosby already! I think his hand problems hindered him. Surgery after 2005 was a wise idea. Now we get the benefits.

Rename Fremont, CA, to Philadelphia, CA, and avoid the unnecessary headscratching!

by One won lost won on May 14, 2007 10:43 AM PDT up 0 recs

The Rage

Mitchell Page, in my opinion, should have won the ROY that year. But being in a small market, and having Charlie O as the owner he lost out to Eddie Murray of Balitmore.

by billyball1981 on May 14, 2007 11:56 AM PDT up 0 recs

Colonel CUSTard?

That's what I'm calling him.

Go A's

by SwisherSweet33 on May 14, 2007 1:10 PM PDT up 0 recs

Hopfully

The rest of the line-up will get a "Clue" Haw haw

by billyball1981 on May 14, 2007 3:44 PM PDT up 0 recs

apostrophe

Whether to use an apostrophe in the plural of an acroynym is a matter of house style. The trend seems to be moving away from apostrophes, but it's by no means universal. New York Times style guide, for instance, prescribes the apostrophe.

In any case, it's not a rule without exceptions. Our own team, for example is almost always called the "Oakland A's" and rarely the "Oakland As".

"...but we're also always open to hearing about other sandwiches if it can make our lunch better." -- Nico, channeling Billy Beane

by iglew on May 14, 2007 2:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

Reality Check

Chris Shelton
10 HR 20 RBI April 2006

Minor leagues May 2007...

"you just have to focus on the now. What am I going to do today? What am I going to do for the next 30 minutes to get better today?" - Huston Street AN 4-7-05

by brosa49 on May 14, 2007 10:36 AM PDT 0 recs

Kevin Maas?

I believe that was his name...he was a Bishop O'Dowd grad and played with the Yankees and I believe he set a record for most homers in first MLB 100 at bats...with like 12 or something...
could be wrong about some details, but I believe it was around 1991...

I WAS AT THE GAME YESTERDAY AND IT WAS WORTH THE TRIP FROM LONG BEACH!!!
THE W'S didn't hold up their end up in my Oakland Coli doubleheader, but oh well, thanks A's

RETIRE #24 AND #35 FOR RICKEY DAMNIT!!

by Erik being Erik on May 14, 2007 10:56 AM PDT 0 recs