Appel will pitch good this year at triple a and will be ready if needed in the majors. If you don't agree, fine but why so much hate?????
Talking GOOD about a baseball player from OUR TEAM, and that is a troll, lmao Well, I may be a troll then, with that definition, but you know NOTHING about baseball if you don't think Appel can compete for a roster in ST, sorry, but thats the TRUTH.
Why are people so down on Appel? He's in the Astros stable. As long as he is there, it says the Astros think he can still make all the adjustments the coaches are directing him. ERA in the minor can be deceptive. Because you never know what the coaches are teaching and focusing on. McCullers noted previously that a lot of times they are working on secondary and third stuff pitches. Hence, keeping them away from their bread and butter stuff. If Appel cannot cope with the toll of being a starter, his alternative is to make him a closer.
if a player with a era of 4.5+ in AAA can get a starting position as a pitcher on this team then we have way bigger problems.
Why are people down on him? He was a freaking 4 year polished starter from college expecting to be ready in a year or so to be starting in the majors. instead dude has a losing attitude and starts punching the fkin walls and breaking **** after he has a poor outing. he has a losing mentality is why people are down on him.
But I seriously doubt Appel wants to settle for a closers position. Because when was the last time you heard of a closer getting a 7 year 200+ million dollar contract? Appel will only be a closer if every opportunity to be a starter is extinguished. Be it with the Astros or another organization. But with his control and his 99 mph fastball, he can be an effective closer.
Baseball is a game of masters. You can have all the talent in the world and take years to figure it out. Had the Astros not been in the thick of the playoff chase, Appel would have been called up in 2015. The scouts that know, say Appel is progressing well. Hader impressed most fans, but the Astros had no problem trading him away; Luhnow has repeatedly said teams assess different value based on their on criteria.
I hope you are right. But we already have an Ace, and candidate for a true number 2 in McCullers. And scouts have said that Vince Velazques has great stuff. We just need Appel to pitch like a #3 or a # 4 pitcher. Anything above that is gravy at this point.
We'd be interested, but I think he'd have a high cost. He looked like an MVP candidate a couple of years ago, but now he looks more like he is just a very solid, consistent guy. He is owed $118.5M over the next 6 years, so his contract isn't much of a bargain.
Between Francouer, Simmons, Heyward, and Freeman... the Braves seem to have a lot of guys who make a big initial splash, some get extended for big money, but they end up fading. Not sure its really a developmental issue as they all rise through the minors without fail... and they all have initial MLB success. Just uncanny how even a high home-grown success rate can still yield mixed results and has them sort of spinning their wheels.
Rivera, Wagner, Lidge, Andrew Miller, Rosenthal, Wade Davis, Eckersly, Chapman, Smotlz, Papelbon...lots of starters "settled" for a bullpen role and made a ton of money doing it.
Settle? No.... but if its the only way he not only sniffs the majors but is actually effective in it, then it needs to be explored. Adam Wainwright started out as a closer... same with Derek Lowe. It doesn't have to stop him from eventually being a starter, but it is a way to possibly break into the big leagues and become a weapon sooner.
Mark Appel = Luke Hochevar/Aaron Crow Guys with great stuff, dominated in college, didn't see the success you thought they'd have in the minors, and ultimately had to move into the bullpen and found success there. Heck, Hochevar was also a #1 overall pick. Ultimately, it comes down to consistency. Appel's greatest weakness thus far is his lack of it. Sometimes he'll put up two good-great outings, and then completely falls apart in the next start. I just don't think his actual fastball command is as good as people think it is and his slider isn't as wipeout as scouts claim it is. Want to move him to the closer role? I don't think he has the bulldog mentality it takes to be a closer, nor do I think he has the short memory a closer needs if he blows a save. If he doesn't figure it out soon, he's a 7th inning guy/long reliever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZJ2tZzeZYk Check out his inning of work at around the 1:00 mark. Not impressed at all, especially with the slider.
I don't necessarily agree with the premise, generally (Francouer? He hasn't been in the organization since 2009) but with specific regards to Freeman, he may have "flashed" in 2013, but his last two seasons have still been extremely good (.283/.379/.465/.845; OPS+ 137). And he's *exactly* what the Astros need. He has a lot of money left on his deal (6/$118.5MM) - but he's also only 26 and, frankly, if they were sincere in having interest in Gordon, I doubt he would have been much cheaper - and he's six years older. Man... I might be inclined to create a package around Reed. Freddie Freeman would be a massive offensive upgrade at 1B.
Francouer was the "guy" that preceded Heyward. It's just a slightly strange pattern of having a highly touted prospect not only make it, but has early success... And the player ends up either fading or being traded within 5 years. The Braves are spinning their wheels year to year, developing talent and trading/signing big names, without much to show for it. Really can't figure out a strategy that has them trading younger/talented guys with contracts that are actually good value. (Was the Simmons trade good for them? Wasn't really familiar with all the pieces).
Definitely a difference between Franouer and those other guys in that the other guys were still very solid players, just not on the MVP-trek's they looked like early on. The same could also be said for Brian McCann. I think Freeman is certainly worth his contract, and he would be an improvement over Carter. Freeman would be a very consistent force in the lineup. Maybe he'd breakout by being on a contender again, but I wouldn't bank on it. I'd rather take my chances with Reed/White and invest that $120M elsewhere. That could certainly be the wrong choice, as we have seen with Singleton so far, but I'm willing to gamble on Reed.
They are trying to stockpile young arms, and that is what they got for Simmons. One of the better pitching prospects in the game. Overall, I think they are now taking our strategy of cleaning house and starting fresh. Scary thing for them is, it wasn't that long ago they were deep with young pitching: Tehran, Minor, Beachy, Delgado, Medlen, Vizcaino, Hanson, & Jurrjens.
