Jack Cust Brought Back By Oakland A's

As much as Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane is trying to change the A’s into a more speedy, athletic team, he never misses an opportunity to go back to his Moneyball roots.

Yesterday, the A’s brought back a classic Moneyball player. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle , the A’s have re-signed OF/DH Jack Cust to a one-year contract. The one-year deal is for $2.65 million plus incentives.

Cust will be back with the A's in 2010

After the A’s traded for Jake Fox and signed Coco Crisp, many, including myself, didn’t think there was a chance that Cust would return to the A’s in 2010. But the A’s need power and Cust can certainly supply that.

Over the last three years, Cust has averaged 28 home runs a year with a .378 OBP. Though his OPS has dipped three years in a row, he probably becomes the A’s top power source in 2010.

My guess is Rajai Davis, Crisp, and Ryan Sweeney will play left, center, and right, respectively, for the A’s in 2010. Daric Barton will play first base, while Cust will split time at DH with Fox, depending on the matchup.

Cust’s OPS was 200 points higher against right-handed pitching (.830 vs. .631), so playing him against righties and Fox against lefties makes the most sense. I think A’s fans will be happy just as long as Cust doesn’t see any part of the field.

Cust will be 31 next week and will be entering his ninth season in the major leagues. He has a career .239 average with 89 home runs and a .374 OBP.

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