When rookie Tim Wakefield, Alex Cole, and skinny Barry Bonds walk through that door... Seriously, what a demented A-hole. Perfect example of short term memory at its finest. Although, TBH, if I was a Pirates fan... I would have been super pissed off about the events last year with Appel. For a team that has been as bad as they've been for so long simply because so few of their high picks have panned out, they went out and picked a guy that they had no chance of signing. If the new rules weren't in place (where the Pirates got two first round picks this year because they couldn't sign him last year), that would have been an absolute waste of a draft pick last year... could still be the case if their new picks don't amount to much.
Well, two facts are right here. The Astros are last (in the AL) and the Pirates are a contending playoff team (to this point this year). But what is being overlooked is Appel would have made 1.5M LESS signing with the Pirates last year than what he is getting this year with Houston. But more importantly, where will these two teams be in the 3-5 year window from now? I wouldnt put my bets on the Pirates being the better team, would you?
Nope. There is no possible way you can call a team that hasn't had even a winning record since 1992 a "playoff organization". Hilarity at it's finest. I'd be shocked if they end the streak this year. They always seem to find a way to end up looking up at .500 come the end of September.
The sad thing about him is that by the looks of his profile (taking AP Physics so I assumed he's in high school), he is only 17/18 which means his entire life the pirates have sucked.
Expected Win-Loss for them right now is 37-33, and the have a run differential of +15, which would mean they have been lucky so far. Of course we knew that, since a lot of that luck came against us.
Yep. Last year they were 16 games over on August 8 and went 16-36 the rest of the way. Over the same time frame, the Astros went 19-31. Nothing to be proud of, but better than that playoff organization.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mike Fox is a genius, apparently. Moved Brian Holberton into the cleanup spot today—he rewards his coach by ripping 2-run HR to RF. 2-0 UNC.</p>— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronfitt/statuses/347070253936820225">June 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> will officially sign Mark Appel at 3 p.m.</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/statuses/347402916858044416">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That should make it possible to move forward with Nicely and German. I'm rooting for NCST so we can get our UNC guys signed.
UNC/NC State will be on ESPN at 8/7 Central. Suffice to say we may or may not see Carlos Rodon on 3 days rest tonight.
His reported signing bonus should leave us about 1.4 mil. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> & No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel still finalizing details, but bonus will be $6.35 million. More at <a href="http://t.co/hZqVHVwPw8">http://t.co/hZqVHVwPw8</a> shortly.</p>— Jim Callis (@jimcallisBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcallisBA/statuses/346066819351715840">June 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=8016662&postcount=99
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> GM Jeff Luhnow says it's most significant investment Astros have made in their history for an amateur player. Wouldn't reveal amount</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/347449257755815936">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> GM Jeff Luhnow says Appel will go to Florida next week and work out and then probably make several stops through Minor Leagues.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/347449472151875585">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Luhnow says Appel does have an innings limit this year but wouldn't say what it is. He will be at big league camp next year. <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcallisBA">@jimcallisBA</a></p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/347449597741920256">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Luhnow would like to see Appel start in Tri-City</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/347449679971237890">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Quad Cities would come after Tri-City and potentially Corpus Christi this summer for Appel</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/347449791443255296">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mark Appel in <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> uniform, Scott Boras, Jeff Luhnow, Mike Elias <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MLB&src=hash">#MLB</a> <a href="https://t.co/FbDujSC4K3">https://t.co/FbDujSC4K3</a></p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/statuses/347448577980776449">June 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
According to the Baseball America draft database, Tony Kemp signed for $250,000. Slot was $360,800, so.... MOAR SAVINGZ!!!!!
Wasn't he the guy that said he signed for a significant amount making people believe it was an overslot?
