Comments on: No deal for Mark Appel and the Pirates

By: dartwick

dartwick — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 02:26:52 +0000

I think Boras just cost his client a year of playing MLB and 3 million dollars. Seems dumb but well see.

But I dont blame the Pirates. It was a chance at a good player with minimal down side aas they get a replacment pick next year.

By: onbucky96

onbucky96 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:37:21 +0000

Suck it Boras. Sick of him, his handling of draft picks, and the ever present “mystery team” in free angency. Guy might be a bigger tool than Drew Rosenhaus. Hope Apple wakes up and fires his “advisor” before the2013 draft.

By: Reflex

Reflex — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:09:03 +0000

The comment system only goes three deep, so you have to reply above to reply to this.

And what if he never makes the big show? Most draft picks do not. Even most first rounders. Then he’d regret not maximizing now when his value is highest. Waiting a year to potentially max out his slot bonus seems reasonable given that its most likely the highest value he will ever be in his career.

By: napoleonblownapart6887

napoleonblownapart6887 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:08:35 +0000

Appel is a talented guy no question, and I did have hopes that the Buccos signed him. But with that being said, Pitching wasn’t the biggest area of need for this club and in large part Appel (in my estimation) was a very nice to have, but not a need to have. With Cole, Taillon, Owens, Wilson and Heredia in the minors, and with Lincoln (if he is still a starter at this point) in the majors, the Pirates aren’t exactly weak on the pitching side of things. What they need is a bat in that system – other than Marte and Hansen, who’s next? An injured Josh Bell? Take the #9 pick next year, get a strong bat (preferably one that plays SS or Catcher – not a Tony Sanchez guy here), and roll from there.

As for Appel – sorry we couldn’t get him under contract but no ill-will towards the kid. He’s gotta make a decision for him and his family. Hope he gets drafted and becomes a Major League talent… just preferably somewhere in the AL.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:23:01 +0000

World, meet the greatest comment that has ever existed in the history of you.

By: iclight79

iclight79 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:17:33 +0000

Braun, that is. Steroid freak that he may be, he at least deserves me typing his name right.

By: iclight79

iclight79 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:14:46 +0000

As a Buccos fan, I’ve got to be honest, as far as yesterday goes, getting beat by freakin’ Ryan Bruan with J-Mac on the mound was shittier news. Especially considering we pushed seven runs across. We fans didn’t really expect Appel to join what could have been the best rotation in baseball, but we had outside hopes. Still, thing is, the Pirates have pitching coming up, so outside of losing a year of development on another player, this isn’t so bad. And as far as Appel goes, something about him doesn’t really sit well with me. I get the feeling that he could either be really great or really bad and there is no between. Now, since he won’t be wearing black and gold, I certainly hope it’s the latter, petty as that may be.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:13:18 +0000

@surefooted1, Appel falling to #8 was a surprise, probably to him as well. I doubt that he was thinking of waiting until next year when he turned down $6 million from the Astros. He probably expected for the Astros to pick him anyway and sign him for even more money–or at worst to fall a slot or two and still get close to $6 million.

The idea of waiting until next year probably arose precisely because he fell so far. The choice really was between $3.8 million now and what he could get next year, because by the time this happened he couldn’t go back and accept the original offer.

By: brewcitybummer

brewcitybummer — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 06:41:17 +0000

I know it sucks redguy and this probably won’t make you feel any better but here it goes anyway. I think what you lost out on was possibly closer to a number 3 starter than a number 1. I’m not sure his scouting reports that I’ve read look like those of a 1st overall pick.-

-2 plane slurvy breaking ball that lacks intensity.
-Hard, downhill fastball that didn’t create as much swing and miss as you would expect
-change up is not anything special

By: lburgscott66

lburgscott66 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 05:29:29 +0000

Gonna be soooooo broken hearted when that lil ligament in his elbow snaps. Greedy punk..

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:25:00 +0000

Um, you do know that he was never offered $6 million, and if he had been offered $6 million, the Astros would have been in violation of MLB’s rules, right? Nobody knows for sure what Appel’s bonus demands were, but he was never offered anything more than Pittsburgh’s final offer.

By: charlutes

charlutes — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:18:03 +0000

Unproven kid turns down 6 million dollars and takes a year of uncertainty and injury risk because he could have been offered 7.8? Sounds like a dooooooochbag

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:49:24 +0000

There’s a whole hell of a lot wrong with this, but the fact that Pittsburgh can’t draft him again next year without his consent kind of cuts off the rest.

By: rockthered1286

rockthered1286 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:34:24 +0000

Anybody else want to see him fall to the Pirates next year and they ring Boras’ phone with an offer HALF of the slot value and laugh hysterically as they hang up on him? Arrogance is one bad mamajama and Appel is about to learn an important lesson.

Ps- mark my words Appel will NOT be #1 pick next year.

By: jrbdmb

jrbdmb — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:18:22 +0000

So if Appel is garbage then how did he make the “right decision” turning down an easy $3.8M?

And as everyone else seems to know Pirates didn’t waste a pick, they’ll get it back next year.

By: rcali

rcali — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:18:16 +0000

Dude must love taking tests. Hope he studies hard because he’s one elbow problem away from a whole new career.

By: ddmcd1974

ddmcd1974 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:11:00 +0000

He made the right decision based on the idea of what he thinks he is worth. Obviously I think he is so overrated.

By: ddmcd1974

ddmcd1974 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:09:22 +0000

I think Appel made the right decision. The pirates made a bad decision by tying to draft him for two reasons 1. Wasted pick 2. Appel is garbage. He isnt half the pitcher of say Bauer or holtzen. I’ll bet my house that Appel goes after pick 10 next year. You will see this when Stanford’s younger arms take over next year and he is relegated to 3rd starter. Watch.

By: florida76

florida76 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:02:24 +0000

Pittsburgh has it all over Palo Alto, for many reasons. First, Appel is taking a major risk he won’t get hurt or have a subpar season. Second, it’s pure speculation about the strength of next years draft, and Appel could be selected by another team he doesn’t like. Third, he just threw away a year of paid professional development. Fourth, he passed up the chance to eventually play for an up and coming organization in a pitcher friendly park.

As a Pirates fan, I’m fine with the additional picks next year, Appel wasn’t at the level as Gerrit Cole, and the Pirates have other strong prospects in the system.

By: danaking

danaking — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:58:22 +0000

@Reflex (below,not sure why I can’t reply there),
Read what I actually said. The “money he can’t spend in a lifetime” comes after he proves himself. What he and Boras is to delay the start of that clock for a year.

It sounds like he doesn’t need the money. Good for him. Someone else who wants to get a start and prove himself, instead of just paid for promise, will happily take his roster spot.

By: weaselpuppy

weaselpuppy — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:53:39 +0000

and he absolutely stinks. Who knows if the extra year dinking around changed his career trajectory? But if he had signed, I am willing to bet things would be different. KC can’t develop a pitcher to save their life, so he bought into a much worse developmental and coaching situation all because Boras got him…what, like $1m more? Having a lifetime 5.x ERA pretty much insures he won’t have a long career and makes that $1m pale in comparison to having a long healthy productive career even as a back of the rotation filler for 15 yrs. He’s not even that after 5 years…

By: downhillrider

downhillrider — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:13:44 +0000

pittsburgh or palo alto.. hmm what a tough decision.

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:52:56 +0000

When Appel didn’t sign with the Astros, it was a clear indication he wasn’t signing anywhere. The pirates didn’t have a chance. They knew it, but by drafting him, they guaranteed another top 10 pick next year, regardless of where they finish this season. As already stated, things can go terribly wrong, be it mechanical issues, injury etc. and it’s not impossible the same circumstances are duplicated next year. Who’s to say the Astros don’t have the first pick next year. And pass, again. And he drops, again. This time, with no plan B.

By: surefooted1

surefooted1 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:52:00 +0000

He’s not taking a gamble to get an extra $4m, he’s taking the gamble to get an extra $1m+. Remember, he was offered $6m and turned it down.

Will it be worth the risk for the extra $1m+? Who knows.

By: Reflex

Reflex — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:51:35 +0000

His chance of making millions after the $3.8 he could have taken now are smaller than his chances of making more than $3.8 million in next year’s draft. Most prospects do not pan out. His chance of making more than $6 million in next year’s draft is also very high, probably better than 50%. He would only have to be drafted in the top three to accomplish that, and this year he was the consensus number one pick while next year’s class is expected to be worse.

You are looking at it as “Wow, he is walking away from $3.8 million.” He is looking at it as “Geez, I would have to leave between $2.2-4 million on the table to accept this, and just hope that I am one of the very lucky few who makes the big time and then is a star with a career long enough to hit free agency.”

There is no way he stands to gain by taking the Pirates offer, and short of major injury there is a good chance he gains even more next year.

By: ratflop

ratflop — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:45:10 +0000

I don’t think he fully does. He could take 3.8 million now and potentially make millions in addition or nothing more at all. Or, he could take nothing now and potentially nothing later (lets say an injury or other tragic circumstance) leaving him with nothing. Yes, there is a decent chance it will work out for him – but the risk is not worth taking.

By: ratflop

ratflop — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:38:24 +0000

My point is that there is no guarantee that he goes first next year – there are now so many factors that in play now, not the least of which is injury.

Don’t get me wrong, this could work out for him if he continues his success – but if he doesn’t then he stands to lose a lot more. A lot of pressure is now on him.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:34:30 +0000

That was a reference to the stupidity that is the slotting system and the draconian penalties for not abiding by it…not a comment on Pittsburgh’s inability to sign Appel within the context of that system.

By: dwrek5

dwrek5 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:33:38 +0000

Does anyone win here? Serious questions.
Appel, no. Pirates, no (though I understand they get another pick), Boras, no. Stanford, maybe, but thats stretching it.

By: agc99

agc99 — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:27:36 +0000

The draft bonus system was changed because the Yankees and Redsox’s don’t want the pirates and small market teams to be able to compete. They want to go to the world series every year and use small market teams as their farm feeders. Look at the NFL, they get it. You have to have competitive balance where every team has the opportunity to win.