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05-25-2003, 09:41 AM
Now we have Jack Cust brought up (well, flown down) from Ottawa! (Is there anybody left there? :D )
05/24/2003 8:04 PM ET
Notes: Cust in O's cast
By Alan Eskew / Special to MLB.com
ARLINGTON -- Jack Cust, who was acquired in a Spring Training trade with the Rockies for Chris Richard, was promoted Saturday from Class AAA Ottawa to give the Orioles a full 25-man roster.
Cust, a 1997 first-round pick of the Diamondbacks, has a .179 batting average in 38 big-league games with Arizona and the Rockies. Cust hit .247 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 44 games with Ottawa.
Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said Cust's stay with Baltimore will likely be linked to how long B.J. Surhoff "stays on the disabled list."
Surhoff, who is out with a strained right hamstring, ran and did outfield drills before the game Friday, but Hargrove said "obviously" the club did not like what they saw to activate him Saturday.
"He may be a little further away than what we thought," Hargrove said of reinstating Surhoff. "He's coming around. It's not a setback. We didn't feel like he'd be back today or tomorrow. I really think it is a day-to-day thing especially once we get past tomorrow. He was fine today. He probably ran better today than he did yesterday, which is encouraging.
"It's tough enough to play the Rangers with (a) 25 (man-roster). It's extremely difficult with 24."
So Cust was summoned from Ottawa to put the Orioles at full strength for the final two games at Arlington.
"We'll use him as a left-handed bat off the bench and may play him some (in the outfield)," Hargrove said. "We saw a better defensive outfielder (in Spring Training) than what the reports said. The guy has got power to all fields. What is kind of contradictory is the fact throughout his career he's had a high on-base percentage and a high strikeout total."
Cust drew 39 walks and struck out 44 times in 146 at-bats with Ottawa, reaching base via hit or walk in 41 of 44 games.
"I started off real slow," Cust said. "In April, I hit pretty bad (.194 on April 29). In May, I was swinging the bat pretty good. Lately, I've been hitting the ball. I feel real good, but early I was uncomfortable."
Cust hit safely in 14 of his past 15 games, a .340 average in that span.
"I felt good in spring training, but I went up there and got out of rhythm and wasn't swinging the bat well and wasn't swinging the bat enough," Cust said. "Lately I've been a lot freer up there and hitting the ball hard and not missing my pitches, putting the ball in play. I was walking and striking out a lot the first month."
Cust led the Texas League and Pacific Coast League in 2000 and 2001 in both walks and strikeouts, a rare combination. He has 117 home runs in the minors, including hitting 20 or more in four seasons.
Bigbie update: Hargrove said Larry Bigbie, who went on the 15-day disabled list Friday, has a strained rotator cuff strain after being examined in Baltimore.
"The MRI showed no tear in the labrum," Hargrove said. "There's still probably going to be a considerable period for that to rest. We're probably looking at longer than 15 days."
Bigbie hurt his shoulder diving for a ball Wednesday at Anaheim.
Morban starts: Shortstop Jose Morban, a Rule 5 draft pick the Orioles claimed on waivers from Minnesota on March 28, made his first big-league start Saturday at Texas.
Morban, a 23-year-old switch-hitter who came up through the Rangers organization, had appeared in 14 games, nine as a pinch-runner and had only four plate appearances in the first 47 games.
"I've been thinking about it for about a week," Hargrove said of starting Morban. "Now is as good a time as any. There's not any specific reason."
Helling returns: Rick Helling, who pitched parts of eight seasons with the Rangers and won 20 games for them in 1998 and 16 in 2000, will start Sunday against Texas for the first time.
"It is obviously a hitter's park," Helling said of The Ballpark in Arlington. "I'm used to pitching in hitter's parks. I'm a fly ball pitcher. I'm going to give up my share of home runs. I wish I could throw with more sink and keep the ball on the ground more, but that's not the way I pitch."
Helling is 2-4 with a 5.56 ERA with the Orioles.
"Seven of my nine starts have been pretty solid," Helling said. "I had two real bad ones. I'm happy with the way I'm throwing the ball. My stuff is pretty good. I'm ahead of the curve so far."
Said Hargrove, "Rick's pitched better than what his record says. We've been very happy with Rick. I think Rick has been what we thought he'd be."
Down on the farm: Rafael Pina, who was a non-roster invitee in Spring Training, is back with the Orioles organization. He went 5-3 with a 3.95 ERA in 10 starts with Veracruz in the Mexican League. Pina started Friday for Class AAA Ottawa, going seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits, in a 4-0 loss to Indianapolis. ... Darnell McDonald, a 1997 first-round pick, is hitting .296 with a .347 on-base percentage in 42 games with Ottawa. ... Tim Raines Jr. is hitting .280 with 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts with Class AA Bowie.
Around the horn: Reliever B.J. Ryan has retired 11 of 21 first batters and has allowed five of 17 inherited runners to score. ... The Orioles have outscored opponents 30-10 in the first inning. ... Jeff Conine and Jay Gibbons lead the Orioles with seven multi-RBI games.
Alan Eskew is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
05/24/2003 8:04 PM ET
Notes: Cust in O's cast
By Alan Eskew / Special to MLB.com
ARLINGTON -- Jack Cust, who was acquired in a Spring Training trade with the Rockies for Chris Richard, was promoted Saturday from Class AAA Ottawa to give the Orioles a full 25-man roster.
Cust, a 1997 first-round pick of the Diamondbacks, has a .179 batting average in 38 big-league games with Arizona and the Rockies. Cust hit .247 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 44 games with Ottawa.
Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said Cust's stay with Baltimore will likely be linked to how long B.J. Surhoff "stays on the disabled list."
Surhoff, who is out with a strained right hamstring, ran and did outfield drills before the game Friday, but Hargrove said "obviously" the club did not like what they saw to activate him Saturday.
"He may be a little further away than what we thought," Hargrove said of reinstating Surhoff. "He's coming around. It's not a setback. We didn't feel like he'd be back today or tomorrow. I really think it is a day-to-day thing especially once we get past tomorrow. He was fine today. He probably ran better today than he did yesterday, which is encouraging.
"It's tough enough to play the Rangers with (a) 25 (man-roster). It's extremely difficult with 24."
So Cust was summoned from Ottawa to put the Orioles at full strength for the final two games at Arlington.
"We'll use him as a left-handed bat off the bench and may play him some (in the outfield)," Hargrove said. "We saw a better defensive outfielder (in Spring Training) than what the reports said. The guy has got power to all fields. What is kind of contradictory is the fact throughout his career he's had a high on-base percentage and a high strikeout total."
Cust drew 39 walks and struck out 44 times in 146 at-bats with Ottawa, reaching base via hit or walk in 41 of 44 games.
"I started off real slow," Cust said. "In April, I hit pretty bad (.194 on April 29). In May, I was swinging the bat pretty good. Lately, I've been hitting the ball. I feel real good, but early I was uncomfortable."
Cust hit safely in 14 of his past 15 games, a .340 average in that span.
"I felt good in spring training, but I went up there and got out of rhythm and wasn't swinging the bat well and wasn't swinging the bat enough," Cust said. "Lately I've been a lot freer up there and hitting the ball hard and not missing my pitches, putting the ball in play. I was walking and striking out a lot the first month."
Cust led the Texas League and Pacific Coast League in 2000 and 2001 in both walks and strikeouts, a rare combination. He has 117 home runs in the minors, including hitting 20 or more in four seasons.
Bigbie update: Hargrove said Larry Bigbie, who went on the 15-day disabled list Friday, has a strained rotator cuff strain after being examined in Baltimore.
"The MRI showed no tear in the labrum," Hargrove said. "There's still probably going to be a considerable period for that to rest. We're probably looking at longer than 15 days."
Bigbie hurt his shoulder diving for a ball Wednesday at Anaheim.
Morban starts: Shortstop Jose Morban, a Rule 5 draft pick the Orioles claimed on waivers from Minnesota on March 28, made his first big-league start Saturday at Texas.
Morban, a 23-year-old switch-hitter who came up through the Rangers organization, had appeared in 14 games, nine as a pinch-runner and had only four plate appearances in the first 47 games.
"I've been thinking about it for about a week," Hargrove said of starting Morban. "Now is as good a time as any. There's not any specific reason."
Helling returns: Rick Helling, who pitched parts of eight seasons with the Rangers and won 20 games for them in 1998 and 16 in 2000, will start Sunday against Texas for the first time.
"It is obviously a hitter's park," Helling said of The Ballpark in Arlington. "I'm used to pitching in hitter's parks. I'm a fly ball pitcher. I'm going to give up my share of home runs. I wish I could throw with more sink and keep the ball on the ground more, but that's not the way I pitch."
Helling is 2-4 with a 5.56 ERA with the Orioles.
"Seven of my nine starts have been pretty solid," Helling said. "I had two real bad ones. I'm happy with the way I'm throwing the ball. My stuff is pretty good. I'm ahead of the curve so far."
Said Hargrove, "Rick's pitched better than what his record says. We've been very happy with Rick. I think Rick has been what we thought he'd be."
Down on the farm: Rafael Pina, who was a non-roster invitee in Spring Training, is back with the Orioles organization. He went 5-3 with a 3.95 ERA in 10 starts with Veracruz in the Mexican League. Pina started Friday for Class AAA Ottawa, going seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits, in a 4-0 loss to Indianapolis. ... Darnell McDonald, a 1997 first-round pick, is hitting .296 with a .347 on-base percentage in 42 games with Ottawa. ... Tim Raines Jr. is hitting .280 with 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts with Class AA Bowie.
Around the horn: Reliever B.J. Ryan has retired 11 of 21 first batters and has allowed five of 17 inherited runners to score. ... The Orioles have outscored opponents 30-10 in the first inning. ... Jeff Conine and Jay Gibbons lead the Orioles with seven multi-RBI games.
Alan Eskew is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.