A’s re-sign Jack Cust to one-year deal
Posted on January 7, 2010
Jack Cust of the Oakland Athletics stands in the dugout during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on June 17, 2007. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
There will be a familiar face wearing the green and gold this coming season taking a lot of pitches and mashing balls over the fence. That’s right A’s fans- Jack Cust is coming back! This afternoon it was announced that Cust was going back to Oakland, the place where he made a name for himself as a big leaguer. Cust has signed a one-year deal worth $2.65 million (he made $2.8 million in 2009) and will be 31-years-old by the time spring training starts at Papago Park in Phoenix next month.
Jack Cust of the Oakland Athletics hits a home run in the bottom of the 9th inning during the game against the Seattle Mariners at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on July 10, 2008. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
What you see is what you get with Cust. He is a streaky power hitter who either walks, strikes out, or homers each and every at-bat. Last season was a typical Cust year: he hit .240 with 25 homers and 70RBIs. However, he struck out 195 times! Yikes! Cust also struck out 164 times in 2007 and 197 times in 2008.
Jack Cust of the Oakland Athletics bats during the game against the Cleveland Indians at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on May 12, 2007. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Cust was an overnight sensation when he broke onto the scene in Oakland in 2007. After coming to the club in May from the Padres he belted 26 homers and knocked in 82 runs. We did a story on him for Sports Illustrated. He was the talk of the town. The kid from New Jersey who grew up hitting in his dad’s batting cage every day. I had dinner in the A’s press dining room one night with a scout from the Indians who told me Cust had a classic, uppercut batting cage swing. That swing got him to the big leagues, but it also made him a streaky power hitter who can’t play defense and is stuck being a DH.
Jack Cust of the Oakland Athletics bats during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on June 20, 2007. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
I have always had a terrible time photographing Cust at the plate. He has a decent follow through from first base, but his head is always down so low when he connects from the third base side that I can never see his face (see above). Looks like I will have another year to try and improved on my ability to shoot Cust in Oakland. On a cold January day like today I would give anything to be in the third base photo box at the Coliseum wearing shorts on a wonderfully sunny 75 degree day, trying to make a good picture of Cust!
Jack Cust Signs with A’s – Images by Brad Mangin
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