Jason Botts – The next Jack Cust?

The search is over. In the quest to find the next journeyman minor leaguer most deserving of a big-league opportunity, Oklahoma DH/LF Jason Botts stands above the rest. The Rangers farmhand, who turns 27 next week, leads all of Triple A with a .439 OBP and is second with 51 extra-base hits despite a slow start in April (.595 OPS) as he tweaked his swing mechanics and added a leg kick. The change paid off – Botts’ OPS was 1.004 in May, 1.138 in June, and an astounding 1.530 thus far in July. The RedHawks’ opponents obviously have taken notice, as Botts drew nine walks this weekend against Round Rock. Now it appears his parent club is noticing, too. Botts may be in line to assume the Rangers’ DH role if the team can move Sammy Sosa in a trade before the deadline. Botts is a good bet to make the most of the opportunity this time, just as Cust (.935 OPS) has with the A’s.