Six homeruns in a week since being called up from AAA by the A's, many of them game winning. It's fascinating each season seeing which players come completely out of nowhere to make a huge difference. So far this season, its been Josh Hamilton and Jack Cust, and to a lesser extent JJ Hardy. Another example of why baseball's great.
I remember when he was a super-prospect with the Rockies and was supposed to come in with rediculous power, but it never clicked for him. Maybe he found it with Oakland.
Probably a flukey thing, but who knows, maybe he's finally put it together against ML pitchers. He's always been a great walks and power guy in minors, so it's no surprise that he'd end up back in Oakland. Look at his recent numbers in AAA, with Portland, the Padres affiliate. 2006: 441 AB, 30 HR, 143 BB to 124 K, .467 OBP, .549 SLG 2007: 78 AB, 8 HR, 19 BB to 28 K, .429 OBP, .692 SLG
Wasn't he the guy that slipped and fell when he was running home as an O against the Yankees a few years ago?
Yes, one of the worst displays of running ever. That was in 2003. Cust was a 1st round pick. Off the top of my head I'll say he was the 27th overall pick in the 1997 draft out of Immaculata High School in New Jersey. (EDIT: He was the 30th overall selection.) It's amazing he has 8 home runs and 20 RBIs in 13 games. Coming into the season he had 5 home runs in 70 games spread out over five seasons.
What I was referring to, was Shelton's 9 HR's in his first 13 games last year to suddenly have his power disappear
Cust was a stud prospect with the Diamondbacks and Rockies. My older brother played with him at Immaculata, he was supposed to be the second coming of Jim Thome at one point.
