second inning he walked leadoff batter with 4 straight balls... but definitely encouraging to see him responding so well.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/qctimes?src=hash">#qctimes</a> Brett Phillips homers for the fifth straight game. QC 4-0</p>— Steve Batterson (@sbatt79) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbatt79/statuses/494654703528333312">July 31, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Mark Appel throws five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and four walks in his first Double-A start.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/494655509513781248">July 31, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Appel's final line: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 Ks, 83 pitches, 49 strikes. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cchooks?src=hash">#cchooks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/astros?src=hash">#astros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/appelapalooza?src=hash">#appelapalooza</a></p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/494655918156423169">July 31, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Good outing, didn't seem like he was terribly sharp, 4 walks, two of them were 4 pitch walks. Just getting out of California makes you look like a much better pitcher.
Through 5...2 h, 4 bb, 4 4, 0 r on 83 pitches. I'm not sure how accurate the gameday app for MILB is in terms of pitch location, but it doesn't look like he's all over the place. Looks like some pitches in similar locations aren't getting called consistently and he might have been getting squeezed. I'm satisfied with this outing in his first AA game as it is. What ever tweaks they made to his mechanics appear to be working. Hope this is a step to seeing him start to dominate more like a #1 pick should be. By the way, the Hooks are currently getting no-hit...#jinx
Yall remember a few years ago, they had the offseason invitational workouts for "selected" minor league guys, held at MMP for a few days, with the whole staff and FO involved, Bagwell and Biggio and Clemens and Nolan included?
