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Astros Release Zach Duke, Jack Cust

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 27, 2012 at 7:33am CDT

The Astros released left-hander Zach Duke and outfielder Jack Cust, Senior Director of Social Media Alyson Footer tweets.

Cust, 33, signed a non-guaranteed Major League deal worth $600K in January. The one-year contract had also included a club option for 2013. Cust posted a .213/.344/.329 line with three home runs in 270 plate appearances for the Mariners in 2011, when he earned $2.5MM. However, the TWC Sports client averaged 28 homers and 103 walks with the A's from 2007-09.

Duke, 28, posted a 4.93 ERA with 3.8 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 49.6% ground ball rate in 76 2/3 innings last year. The 2009 All-Star owns a 4.56 ERA with 4.6 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 49.0% ground ball rate in seven seasons with Arizona and Pittsburgh. SFX represents the Clifton, Texas native.

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Houston Astros Jack Cust Transactions Zach Duke

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Marlon Byrd Drawing Interest
25 comments
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Comments

  1. cseehausen

    9 years ago

    Ed Wade would’ve kept them on the roster until June.

    Like
    Reply
    • Eduardo Medina

      9 years ago

      100% agree…

      Like
      Reply
  2. venn177

    9 years ago

    A DH that gets on base more than he slugs. If he could run, he’d fit somewhere. If he could field, someone would take him.

    Poor guy.

    Like
    Reply
  3. Rick Garcia

    9 years ago

    you must really not be playing well if you can’t make the Astros roster this year

    Like
    Reply
    • slr5607

      9 years ago

      Or they just don’t want to spend the extra money. They already know they will be horrible, why waste more cash.

      Like
      Reply
  4. Guest

    9 years ago

    Cubs pick up Zake Duke in 3,2,1….

    Like
    Reply
    • Guest

      9 years ago

      Yeah, they loved him so much since they tied a major league record by starting off a game with eight straight hits off him…

      Like
      Reply
  5. johnsilver

    9 years ago

    The rotation of the Pirates from 2009-10 is gone, except for Maholm now am thinking and hanging around on minor league deals.

    Duke will probably find an AAAA type deal also, just because he is a lefty, but a soft tosser though don’t think he built along the Jamie Moyer mold.

    Like
    Reply
  6. Skeeb Wilcox

    9 years ago

    Zach Duke was the man. Key word? Was.

    Like
    Reply
  7. RepOak

    9 years ago

    If you can’t make the Astros team, you shouldnt be playing in the major leagues

    Like
    Reply
    • rockfordone

      9 years ago

      Sad but true

      Like
      Reply
    • stroh

      9 years ago

      I dunno.  From what I saw in spring, these two guys would have trouble hanging on to AAA.    And thus, no minor league deals in the offing (either).

      Like
      Reply
  8. MB923

    9 years ago

    I could possibly see Zach Duke going to a team as a lefty specialist

    Last year against lefties – .225/.247/.324

    Absolutely horrible however against righties – .353/.393/.498 (that’s MVP type numbers against)

    Like
    Reply
    • goner

      9 years ago

       perhaps, but his career split vs. lefties is .280/.333/.418 :shrug:

      Like
      Reply
  9. WorldsBiggesDBack

    9 years ago

    I would be surprised if either Duke or Cust and any more major league success.

    Like
    Reply
  10. bigmike04

    9 years ago

    Duke & Cust could land another deal just a minor league contract for Dept purpose, I am suprise Cust got major league deal this off season..

    Like
    Reply
    • cseehausen

      9 years ago

       It was non-guaranteed, so basically it was a minor league deal.

      Like
      Reply
  11. angels4life

    9 years ago

    Didn’t the Astros’ GM say that with Escalona’s injury he’d consider Zach Duke in the bullpen?

    Like
    Reply
    • danieljmeyer

      9 years ago

       yeah, like 2 days ago. I guess he’s done “considering”

      Like
      Reply
  12. slr5607

    9 years ago

    The Giants need to get Duke. They have nobody at the AAA level that can be a fill-in starter for an injured pitcher or put pressure on Barry Zito.

    Like
    Reply
    • Andy Forrester

      9 years ago

       Duke would put no pressure on Zito.  Duke can’t even hit Prince Fielder with a pitch if he was ordered to.

      Like
      Reply
  13. heatbeat

    9 years ago

    Duke and Cust sounds like a bad comedy duo. 

    Like
    Reply
    • Hordak Sanchez

      9 years ago

      yeah, but “Duke Cust” makes a great porno name….

      Like
      Reply
      • heatbeat

        9 years ago

        fantastic point

        Like
        Reply
  14. goner

    9 years ago

    interesting… last year, Zach Duke accumulated more WAR as a hitter (0.4 bWAR in 23 PA) than as a pitcher (0.0 bWAR).

    meanwhile, Jack Cust was worth 0.1 bWAR in 2011.

    Like
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