2014 Astros Minor League Thread

I heard it was a nerve issue in his thumb. Am I wrong?

 

Which would mean that my statement above was true... he was coming off of injury. Being proclaimed "off injury" doesn't ensure that someone isn't injured. Appel wants to be out there and the team wants him out there. That may not make him "100%".

 

So what was he the 1st 4 starts this year? What about last year?

Why do people need to keep making excuses?

He was tired from the college season
Appendectomy
Tandem System
Sense of Entitlement
Tendinitis

Why can't we say that he has been terrible so far?

 

I would think that the adjustment to professional ball and college ball is a moderately big deal. Actual injuries taking time away from the season aren't "excuses" as much as they are something that you must work around. If we label him a bust, will that be sufficient? Why do we need to keep acting like there are excuses? The dude has been injured and it is only June.

 

Tendinitis in the thumb. Nothing can really be done for it and apparently pitching through it won't worsen it.

 

I have not once called him a bust.

We'll act like they are excuses because they are.

When he looked great against the Mexican league team, nobody was making excuses. Then bad results started to come.

Adjustment to pro ball is something every single player does. You expect a college senior, who was considered the most major league ready, would adjust better than the average player, but that didn't happen.

If it was just one or two things, I'd feel better about it, but the fact that there is constantly something for a year, is a bad trend.

 

I think the fans just need to heed this poster's advice:

Team needs to just let him pitch and work through his problems.

 

bust!

 

Small sample size. Given him a full year of professional ball, then we can talk.

 

In 2013, Appel was good not great, albeit some minor league scouts were not that impressed.

In 2014, the wheels have fallen off of the wagon. Let's see if Appel can right his ship by the end of the season.

 

Keith Law worked with the Blue Jays, the Astros attempted to hire him for an executive position as well. Of course he is wrong sometimes, every expert is. You don't have to agree with him, but he isn't just a writer.

Results always figure into the evaluation, lets not kid ourselves. However with a pitcher especially, things can change quickly.

FWIW the baseball draft is a complete crap shoot and even if Mark is a complete bust, it really does not change my opinion of the Astros front office or their potential on field success. Over half of the "elite" prospects never pan out.

 

Side note, what if Aiken leap frogged Appel? Not impossible.

 

It isn't that Keith Law is wrong about prospects, it is that he routinely gets facts wrong, and doesn't own up to it. He tends to make a lot of assumptions and will write about players as if he has seen them or done extensive research, when he hasn't. Not to mention, he is very smug.

Things can change quickly. He may throw 5 innings of no-hit ball next time he's out.

 

I do believe we should. I don't think we should ignore the bad, but I also don't think the sky is falling.

Then we can start talking about whether or not he's a bust.

Callis tweeted something to that effect.

 

This. Keith Law is awful. And of course he is INCREDIBLY full of himself. He frequently throws out untrue information. I don't read any of his stuff.

 

Interesting, Ovando is moved to 3B.

 

I feel it is safe to call him a bust.

 

Ovando might be the DH? Although his career minor league .557 OPS suggests not.

 

I thoguht Aiken would start in Tri City - was definitely wrong. Greeneville?