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SB Nation 2011-2012 MLB Free Agents
The Houston Astros are reportedly signing free agent Jack Cust to a one-year contract with a 2013 option. Well, all right then.
Jan 17, 2012 - Look, I'm not a professional baseball scout. I'm just a professional baseball blogger who has watched a lot of baseball games. There are things scouts know that I don't know. Lots of things. So many things.
But I'm a baseball blogger who blogs about the Seattle Mariners. Every day. I've blogged about the Seattle Mariners for a long time, and I blogged about the Seattle Mariners last season. So I watched a ton of the Seattle Mariners last season. And while watching the Seattle Mariners last season, I couldn't help but arrive at the conclusion that Jack Cust is finished.
Which makes this so, so weird:
Sources: #Astros reach two-year agreement with Jack Cust, pending physical. Could be 2013 DH after team moves to AL.
The Astros are under new management. They have Jeff Luhnow and everything. They're supposed to have turned over a new leaf - a new, better leaf. And they're signing Jack Cust to a two-year contract?
It's not that it's crippling. It's not crippling. We don't know the terms, but I'm sure they're pretty small. The Astros aren't signing Jack Cust for big money. But two guaranteed years?
Oh wait hold on a second. Zachary Levine to the rescue!
The second year for Jack Cust with Astros is a club option, according to person with knowledge of the deal.
That's much better. I still wouldn't say that it's good, but it's much better. It's less guarantee, to a player who doesn't deserve much of a guarantee.
Cust still knows how to draw a walk. Jack Cust will forever know how to draw a walk. That isn't the issue. But he's never been a good defender. He's never been a good contact hitter. And his power has seemingly disappeared. In 2008, Cust hit 30 percent of his fly balls for home runs. Then 18 percent. Then 15 percent. Then six percent. Last season, Jack Cust hit three home runs. He slugged .329.
Maybe Jack Cust isn't finished. Maybe my eyes deceived me. Maybe it was just an off year. Maybe he needs a change of scenery. The Astros are going to find out what he has left, making him play some sort of position. I'm not particularly optimistic, but at least I can say with a high degree of certainty that Jack Cust will not be the reason the Astros lose in 2012. So.
8 comments
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Comments
They'll have Cust and Lee as a first-base platoon
Shudder
On review, how the hell did El Caballo pull 4.6bWAR out of his hat last year? That’s his career high!
IGNORE ME
by tsunamijesus on Jan 18, 2012 12:06 AM EST reply actions
either
1) he single-handedly broke the defensive metric components of both Fangraphs and Baseball reference
2) he was the second best defensive player in the majors in 2011.
by AstroB on Jan 18, 2012 9:45 AM EST up reply actions
The whole looming "DH in 2013" thing has them freaked out
And Jack Cust is the first reassuring warm blanket they could find. But they’re smart enough to know they might find a better, warmer blanket. Hence the option.
by J0SER on Jan 18, 2012 3:07 AM EST reply actions
The club option makes a lot of sense,
being that they are on the Cust of needing a DH.
by SeattExPat on Jan 18, 2012 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
But why?
Sundrendy!
by Deleuzian on Jan 18, 2012 7:56 AM EST reply actions
Surely he's just a pinch hitter
They probably have him to fill a bench pinch-hitting role, so that the young guys who aren’t starting aren’t rotting on the Major League bench. They’ll have a veteran bench of Cust, Chris Johnson/Matt Downs, and Humberto Quintero, with another infielder and outfielder that probably split time in the lineup. Maybe they think his approach might be contagious.
by Stephen Suffron on Jan 18, 2012 8:43 AM EST reply actions
Cust will have $600 K salary. As I recall, the new CBA narrowed the gap between a guaranteed and NRI contract. So, there’s not much to complain about, in terms of cost. I assume that the Astros are hoping that moving from Safeco to Minute Maid Park will spark a return of some of Cust’s power. Given the cost, it’s worth a gamble.
by clack on Jan 18, 2012 1:18 PM EST reply actions
Safeco wasn't the problem
He had no more than “warning track” power last year in a lot of parks that are far more hitter-friendly than Safeco.
by J0SER on Jan 18, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions
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