The Houston Astros are expected to select Stanford's Mark Appel with the first overall pick in tomorrow's amateur draft, according to ESPN's Jim Bowden (via Twitter).
Appel, a Houston native, pitched Stanford to a 9-1 victory over Fresno State this past Friday in the opener of regional play. Appel tossed a complete game four-hitter and struck out 11 in avenging his only loss of the season. Appel has compiled a 2.27 ERA, 9.6 K/9, and 2.0 BB/9 in 119 innings (15 starts) for the Cardinal.
I think they should have picked Buxton. The Astros likely won’t compete for the next few years, and Buxton can help a team for 162 games a year compared to 35.
no matter how good a position player is, there is only so much they can help a team when its pitchers are awful.
The thing is hitters can help you in more games than a pitcher can. However a hitter in any given game is sitll 1/9, and can contribute to an individual game less than a pitcher can. I mean how many plays does the average player contribute to in a game? 4 abs, some grounders/fly balls hit his way? A pitcher has much more control over a game and can greatly influence whether your team wins or loses much more. So to say just because a hitter plays more games he is more valuable than a pitcher is well silly.
But quality pitching is way harder to find then hitting. The first step towards having a competitive ball club is to at least establish an ace that can keep your club into many games.
That’s a dated axiom. Impact hitters have become much more difficult to find, especially since the advent of drug testing.
Dated back to 2010? See San Francisco Giants
Todd is right. The pitching talent is far more talented in the prospect ranks than the hitting talent right now. I’m surprised the Astros are taking Appel considering that he doesn’t project as a frontline starting pitcher.
Where do you get that?
Appel is definetely a project, but he can throw mid 90’s and has several pitches.
There is really no point taking a starter that you dont project as an ace first.
It would be a waste of a pick unless you could get a player that guaranteed #2.
general consensus among scouts. His fastball is very straight and he isn’t very consistent from start to start. His ceiling is a #2 starter but more likely a #3. He is a safe pick as in he has a good chance of being a fine major leaguer but not a ton of upside.
All of it is important. Position players and pitchers. You need both. That said, the relative likelihood of a top prospect pitcher being a bust is much higher than a top prospect position player.
If it’s a position player, and you can get a quality top line up-the-middle 5-tool player, that’s very tempting. And, I’d argue that, say, a star SS contributes in some form on nearly every play up to 162 games/yr. If it’s a top flight pitcher, that pitcher contributes on every pitch about 30ish times a year. All of that said, if you have a chance at adding a sure #1-2 type of SP, you can’t pass it up.
Astros are going Appel picking…
Well if they are making a play at Soler like Luhnow said today, and they have Springer, Santana, both Martinez all under 23 yrs old, then a pitcher might make sense here. That being said. I would not 100 believe this rumor. Luhnow also said an hr and half ago that they would be meeting till late tonight and all day tomorrow to decide so although Appel is logical I wouldn’t believe it is concrete yet.
I would have gone Buxton. But what do I know. I just began studying the draft yesterday.
Pitching wins championships and right now their pitching in the minors isn’t all that great outside of Cosart. Good pick if this is the pick they make.
They don’t have much pitching in their farm but this organization is heading in the right direction with Lunhow as they’re GM.
if this is true it pretty much tells you Buxton’s going to the Twins, after that question marks for every team. Its going to be an interesting draft.
So M’s will have to face Appel in the AL West in the future, and the Astros will have to face whoever the M’s pick. Hopefully a hitter. Kind of cool knowing these 2 picks will be compared at one time or another in the future.
If Buxton turns out to be a really good hitter, I’m sure they’ll kick themselves a bit, but realistically it’s easier to find a corner guy who can mash a little bit than it is to get a legit number 2/3 guy. Hopefully that’s what Appel is and not a back of the rotation type guy.
Wow Andrew Luck and Mark Appel, 1st overall pick in 2 consecutive professional sports drafts. Kudos, Stanford.
Of course, this is Jim Bowden talking, and we have no idea how credible his “source” is.
tmengd – Where did you see they were going after Soler?
thanks for ruining the surprise!
Twins get a steal with Buxton at 2
I think the Twins should take Correa over Buxton. From what I’ve seen from watching a lot of video Correa looks to have a better bat and seems to be more polished as a hitter. He’s also a very good fielder, as is Buxton. My biggest issue that keeps me from putting Buxton going over Correa is his bat.
I’m hoping Correa falls to #6, so the Cubs can pick him.
May be wishful thinking, but still…
Same, but at this point I don’t see it happening, unless Buxton does go ahead for some reason. If Zimmer fell to the Cubs I would be fine with that as well. I think the 2 remaining college level pitchers will go pretty quick, considering Appel is already gone.
Sickels (Twins fan) has Buxton going to the Twins, which would mean Correa would probably go to the Mariners, due to them really not needing to take a pitcher in the 1st round. I’m hoping that the Orioles or Royals make a questionable pick (possibly over shooting for Giolito). Wishful thinking.
I’m fine with any of Gausman, Zimmer or Zunino
No chance of that. Been a lot of rumors of Twins at #2 though.
I would hazard a guess that the Twins are ecstatic about this news.
I kind of wanted the Astros to get Carlos Correa . I mean , he’s been compared to A-Rod . . . I think he’s the guy that’s really gonna stand out in this draft class 5 years from now .
Jim Callis of Baseball America just tweeted that the Astros haven’t made a decision yet.
I know Appel was born in Houston, but do we really know he’s a Houston “native”? He went to high school in Northern California.
Okay, replying to myself. Apparently he lived in Houston until he was 12 and grew up an Astros fan, that’s cool.
Gotta go Buxton, and not only because Buxton has higher upside…
Appel is a Boras client and he’s going to try to get the most possible, even if that means going over the slot and not being able to sign some of their remaining picks.
I wouldn’t mind the Astros paying that if Appel were a Strasburg-like ace pitcher, but he’s not.
The Twins had Correa working out at Target Field this weekend and it’s rumored he’s still in town. Don’t be surprised if they take him at #2!
Bowden needs to go away