What impact does the A's resigning Jack Cust, their main source of power for the past three seasons, have on players like Jake Fox, Eric Chavez, Chris Carter and other DH-eligible players?
What if (and I know it's a huge if) Chavez does comes back next season and is able to at least swing the bat? Or what about the one-in-a-million possibility that Chavez returns to the hot-corner next season? What happens to the newly acquired Fox?
And what about Carter? He's really playing well in the minors and although is a first baseman, is built like a DH. Now, I doubt the A's have given up completely on incumbent 1B Daric Barton, but Carter might see the Majors at some point next season. If and when he does come up, where does he play?
If Chavez doesn't come back healthy, Fox steps in and mans the hot-corner. Fox, who blasted 11 homers in only 216 at-bats, is a solid replacement who could do wonders if given a full-time job. But in an ideal world, seeing Chavez salvage what's left of his career would be nice.
The A's have an outfield that is currently very crowded, and Cust isn't known for his defensive prowess. So what happens to guys like Rajai Davis and Scott Hairston? Is Hairston the odd-man out? He was dealt to the A's last year in a mid-season trade with the Padres but didn't perform well in the green and gold. Still, at the very least he should compete for a spot in the A's crowded outfield.
Most of this is pretty irrelevant right now, especially with Chavez still recovering from yet another surgery. But looking ahead is always helpful. Re-signing Cust was a nice move by the A's, who desperately needed a big-bat.
But, with the addition of Coco Crisp and the whole crowded outfield situation, who are really impacted by the Cust deal? Who will see less playing time because of both deals?