Mark Appel returning to Stanford for senior year

[3greyhounds]

http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-b...071312aaa.html

Pitcher Mark Appel turned down a $3.8 million offer from the Pirates to return to Stanford for his senior year. He was projected to be the #1 overall pick but slipped to #8 on draft day.

Gonna be a fun season on the Farm next year!

[JJLevitsky]

Gotta respect his decision. Obviously a bright kid who will do well wether he pitches as a pro or not. There is something to be said for the college experience.

Thanks,

Jeff

[CW13]

Part of the new draft slotting system...After Appel and Boras turned down Houston predraft(reportedly 6 mil), the only way the Pirates were gonna sign him and fit him into their budget would have been to punt the picks on rounds 2-10 and take college seniors and then try to sign him for 5.5 mil or so. Not worth the risk unless you truly think he is a 1:1 talent(which most don't). Hope he stays healthy because as a college senior he has lost most leverage he had.

[JJLevitsky]

Part of the new draft slotting system...After Appel and Boras turned down Houston predraft(reportedly 6 mil), the only way the Pirates were gonna sign him and fit him into their budget would have been to punt the picks on rounds 2-10 and take college seniors and then try to sign him for 5.5 mil or so. Not worth the risk unless you truly think he is a 1:1 talent(which most don't). Hope he stays healthy because as a college senior he has lost most leverage he had.

Now I see the problem. In a word - Boras.

Thanks,

Jeff

[scc76]

I thought if a player had been in contact with an agent that made him ineligible.

[houbb]

Now I see the problem. In a word - Boras.

Thanks,

Jeff

Yep. He's done well for some of his number one picks (Strasburg comes to mind), but this move is a gamble any way you slice it. He's banking on becoming the overall number one next year, and who knows who else is going to be in that draft. I think this kid is a tremendous talent, but I didn't see him as the overall number one pick.

Houston has had two other number one overall picks, Floyd Bannister in 1976 and Phil Nevin in 1992. Both were solid major league players, but Bannister was never a number one starter, and Nevin never turned into a consistent run producer in the majors. Hindsight is 20/20, but if you look at both of those picks today, you would probably not think of those guys as number one overall pick players. As I recall, when the Astros drafted Bannister they also passed on guys like Wade Boggs and Rickey Henderson. Both of those players games would have been perfectly suited for the 'dome. In '92, when they took Nevin, they passed on a young fellow named Jeter. Can you imagine a double play combo of Jeter and Biggio? Well, that's what the Astros scout who strongly recommended Jeter as the club's number one pick thought. When the 'stros passed on him that scout felt strongly enough about it to resign. It's a pretty good guess that scout knew something about talent, as he had quite a bit himself. That scouts name was Hal Newhowser.

Yes, I think the Astros would have selected Appel if he took their offer, which was some $2 million below what he wanted, but I really like the tools of the young man they picked as overall. They want this year's overall pick to make an impact down the line. Hopefully, Correa will be just that. For Appel's sake, I hope he does, too.