Around Baseball 2018

[G-Snarls]

 

Mark Appel Stepping Away From Baseball

 

By Steve Adams | February 1, 2018 at 9:53am CDT

 

In a candid, must-read interview with Bleacher Report’s Joon Lee, former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel reveals that he’s stepping away from professional baseball at the age of 26. Appel didn’t use the word “retirement” and suggested that perhaps, somewhere down the line, he’d give baseball another shot. However, for the time being, he won’t be reporting to Spring Training with the Phillies (who will retain his rights, tweets Matt Gelb of The Athletic).

 

“I’m 26, I have a Stanford degree, I have many interests beyond baseball, which I still love, but I have a lot of things I care about,” Appel tells Lee. “I enjoy challenging my mind. My last four years in baseball have challenged my mind.”

 

Appel, clearly, has dealt with his share of disappointment in professional baseball. The former Stanford ace was twice projected to be the top overall pick in the draft, falling to the Pirates at No. 8 in 2012 and then ultimately being selected No. 1 overall by Houston the following year after returning to Stanford for his senior season. As Joon explores in detail, Appel posted respectable numbers in his debut season but never really hit his stride after the fact, struggling through injuries and oftentimes inexplicable ineffectiveness from 2014-17.

 

Appel bluntly states that he was “maybe the worst pitcher in professional baseball” in 2014 and recalls a story where, after arguably the worst start of his career, frustration boiled over to the point that he destroyed a particle-board panel in the clubhouse by throwing upwards of 80 baseballs through it. (Appel purchased supplies to repair the damages at Home Depot out of his own pocket and handled the project himself the following day.) The right-hander obviously feels some disappointment about never reaching the Majors and says he would “absolutely” have loved to be pitching in the World Series alongside his friends and former Astros teammates.

 

As Lee points out, if Appel never makes the decision to return to pro ball, he’d become just the third No. 1 overall pick ever to retire without logging a single game in the Majors. Appel is aware of that unflattering context but seems to be at peace with the fact.

 

“I had high expectations,” says Appel, who is still rehabbing from his 2017 shoulder troubles. “I didn’t live up to those for a number of reasons. If you want to call me the biggest draft bust, you can call it that. … If I never get to the big leagues, will it be a disappointment? Yes and no. That was a goal and a dream I had at one point, but that’s with stipulations that I’m healthy, I’m happy and doing something I love. If I get to the big leagues, what’s so great about the big leagues if you’re in an isolated place, you’re hurt and you’re emotionally unhappy? How much is that worth to you?”

 

For the time being, Appel says he’s planning on pursuing an internship and attending business school, perhaps at Stanford but also with several other prospective universities in mind. He speaks with a certain level of excitement about the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family, as well as the possibility of traveling. Perhaps most important of all, Appel sounds like a man with an unexpected and impressive level of perspective on the struggles he’s had in professional baseball: “Some people have real struggles. I played baseball. I thought I was going to be great, and I wasn’t.”

[Orgfiller]

Certainly helps that he got a massive bonus when he was signed and he can afford to take things slowly. Good for him, sucks to struggle and be labeled a bust but he has a degree from a top school and millions of dollars to show for it.

[Bobthe4th]

Certainly helps that he got a massive bonus when he was signed and he can afford to take things slowly. Good for him, sucks to struggle and be labeled a bust but he has a degree from a top school and millions of dollars to show for it.

 

Yeah, the pressure of being the biggest bust ever can’t be healthy. He’s set up financially and can do something he enjoys now.

 

As a sign of how unhappy he must have been, after one particularly bad minor league game he did this:

 

http://i.imgur.com/3Q7goIj.jpg

[G-Snarls]

Certainly helps that he got a massive bonus when he was signed and he can afford to take things slowly. Good for him, sucks to struggle and be labeled a bust but he has a degree from a top school and millions of dollars to show for it.

 

2013 - $6.35 million signing bonus

 

Hopefully he was smart with it

[glory]

Pitchers as top draft picks are so risky. If the Jays ever got a #1 pick and it fell on a year where the best player was a pitcher, I'd be nervous AF.

[G-Snarls]

Pitchers as top draft picks are so risky. If the Jays ever got a #1 pick and it fell on a year where the best player was a pitcher, I'd be nervous AF.

 

Yep

 

For every David Price or Stephen Strasburg there's a Mark Appel or a Luke Hochevar

[G-Snarls]

To be fair, lots of #1 pick position players never pan out as well as hoped either

 

Every #1 pick going back a while:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_first_overall_Major_League_Baseball_draft_picks

 

Lots of them are all-star, franchise players, and lots never did much of anything. That's just baseball.

[G-Snarls]

F'n Nationals got Strasburg and Harper on back to back #1 picks. Pretty decent draft return for sucking so bad back then...

 

Astros of course managed to suck so bad they got *3* consecutive #1 picks. Appel, Correa, then punted Aiken and got Bregman.

[Brownie19]

Pitchers as top draft picks are so risky. If the Jays ever got a #1 pick and it fell on a year where the best player was a pitcher, I'd be nervous AF.

 

Dem shortstops bring risk too. Ask Matt Bush and Tim Beckham (and possibly Dansby Swanson)

[jaysfan2014]

Dem shortstops bring risk too. Ask Matt Bush and Tim Beckham (and possibly Dansby Swanson)

 

At least Matt Bush eventually came back as a pitcher.

[Brownie19]

At least Matt Bush eventually came back as a pitcher.

 

f*** Matt Bush. He's a massive POS. Never acknowledge him again.

[BTS]

Miguel Montero to the Cubs on a minor league deal.

[Ray]

Miguel Montero to the Cubs on a minor league deal.

 

Nationals, not Cubs.

[G-Snarls]

Lol

 

[G-Snarls]

Eric Hosmer has multiple 7 year contract offers but is holding out for 8 according to MLB Network

[Stangstag]

Eric Hosmer has multiple 7 year contract offers but is holding out for 8 according to MLB Network

 

Dumb. I hope he ends up getting 5 years.

[vdartanian]

Eric Hosmer has multiple 7 year contract offers but is holding out for 8 according to MLB Network

 

Greedy f***

 

Hope he ends up getting in a car accident tomorrow and ends up with jackshit.

[Terminator]

Greedy f***

 

Hope he ends up getting in a car accident tomorrow and ends up with jackshit.

 

That's a little aggressive

[Abomination]

That's a little aggressive

 

Yeah lol, better would be that I hope he signs with the O's, then has his contract voided like all other free agents they try to sign.

[Spanky99]

I still think we should bring in some sort of veteran who could make for a sufficient back up but also cheap enough to stash in Buffalo if/when Jansen or McGuire prove to be ready (which could be as soon as ST) - then you're letting those two prospects dictate their own timetable rather than having no choice but to keep one up (and call up the other in the event of an injury).

 

Meh, who would you like out of this pile of poo... lol. They all can't catch, save for Stewart, but we have the younger Stewart in Maile, Montero's gone, there's really nothing left. Avila suxxx defensively, but his bat was the difference. McGuire's D is MLB ready, so him and Maille are our best bets. Save for trade.

 

A.J. Ellis (37)

Jonathan Lucroy (32) He's a starter... not signing here.

Carlos Ruiz (39)

Geovany Soto (35)

Chris Stewart (36)

[Abomination]

Meh, who would you like out of this pile of poo... lol. They all can't catch, save for Stewart, but we have the younger Stewart in Maile, Montero's gone, there's really nothing left. Avila suxxx defensively, but his bat was the difference. McGuire's D is MLB ready, so him and Maille are our best bets. Save for trade.

 

A.J. Ellis (37)

Jonathan Lucroy (32) He's a starter... not signing here.

Carlos Ruiz (39)

Geovany Soto (35)

Chris Stewart (36)

 

I wouldn't mind Carlos Ruiz. He doesn't frame well, but is otherwise well above average defensively and would only take a cheap one year deal I'd assume.

[Spanky99]

I wouldn't mind Carlos Ruiz. He doesn't frame well, but is otherwise well above average defensively and would only take a cheap one year deal I'd assume.

 

Yuck.

[G-Snarls]

If Hosmer would have just taken his 7 years 147M and JD Martinez his 5 years 125M a month ago then no one would really be complaining right now

[Ray]

If Hosmer would have just taken his 7 years 147M and JD Martinez his 5 years 125M a month ago then no one would really be complaining right now

 

Both are Boras clients. Probably drilled into their heads that they can get $200M deals if they wait.

 

All for players getting the most money from teams, but at the same time, it’s funny seeing Boras’ strategy backfire on him. Not to mention neither of Hosmer or Martinez are worth even close to $200M.

[AledmysDiaz]

The only losers here will be the fans.

 

Its systematic collusion stemming from the lack of desire to spend, when the past few years of shown that to be successful, all you have to do is to be an awful baseball club for ten years. This is heading towards a strike, and rightfully so. Historically, the idea has been that even when you cant win you should at least try to field a competitive club, have some stars to see for the fans. Now these owners don't want to spend any money at all rebuilding. They are completely comfortable with fielding 25 replacement level players.

 

Most of all the Marlins have left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. I think there will be a strike in the near future.

[AledmysDiaz]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/agent-brodie-von-wagenen-speaks-out-on-stagnant-free-agent-market.html

 

"I would suggest that testing the will of 1,200 alpha males at the pinnacle of their profession is not a good strategy for 30 men who are bound by a much smaller fraternity. These 1,200 players have learned first-hand that battles are won through teamwork, and they understand that Championships can’t be achieved by individuals. They are won by a group united by a singular focus. Victory at all costs. They are willing to sweat for it; they are willing to sacrifice for it; they are willing to cry for it; and most importantly, they are willing to bleed for it."

 

Strike is coming.

[G-Snarls]

The only losers here will be the fans.

 

Its systematic collusion stemming from the lack of desire to spend, when the past few years of shown that to be successful, all you have to do is to be an awful baseball club for ten years. This is heading towards a strike, and rightfully so. Historically, the idea has been that even when you cant win you should at least try to field a competitive club, have some stars to see for the fans. Now these owners don't want to spend any money at all rebuilding. They are completely comfortable with fielding 25 replacement level players.

 

Most of all the Marlins have left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. I think there will be a strike in the near future.

 

Marlins look ugly I agree

 

But the Astros did a deep, cheap, and profound rebuild. They were beyond awful for a few years, to the point where lots of people in the game were complaining about it. However, they were actually PROFITABLE during that ugly period AND then came out of it and just won a World Series. It's going to be hard to convince owners with mediocre teams going nowhere to not do the same thing.

[KevinGregg]

Marlins look ugly I agree

 

But the Astros did a deep, cheap, and profound rebuild. They were beyond awful for a few years, to the point where lots of people in the game were complaining about it. However, they were actually PROFITABLE during that ugly period AND then came out of it and just won a World Series. It's going to be hard to convince owners with mediocre teams going nowhere to not do the same thing.

 

They were profitable because they signed a TV deal which gave them a truck load of money under the impression that they would actually try to win and draw fans/viewers. If teams keep s***ing the bed on purpose for years at a time it will be hard to convince networks to hand out the same amount of money in the future

[jays_fever]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/agent-brodie-von-wagenen-speaks-out-on-stagnant-free-agent-market.html

 

"I would suggest that testing the will of 1,200 alpha males at the pinnacle of their profession is not a good strategy for 30 men who are bound by a much smaller fraternity. These 1,200 players have learned first-hand that battles are won through teamwork, and they understand that Championships can’t be achieved by individuals. They are won by a group united by a singular focus. Victory at all costs. They are willing to sweat for it; they are willing to sacrifice for it; they are willing to cry for it; and most importantly, they are willing to bleed for it."

 

Strike is coming.

 

I think I'd quit following baseball if they're striking because Eric Hosmer cant get 200 million. They are willing to sacrifice and sweat it out? Like go f*** yourselfs

[AledmysDiaz]

I think I'd quit following baseball if they're striking because Eric Hosmer cant get 200 million. They are willing to sacrifice and sweat it out? Like go f*** yourselfs

 

I think the Hosmer 7 year deal is a lie that has gotten out of hand. Maybe it is a 7 year deal, but it may be a 7 year 100 Million deal. Low AAV.

 

I cant imagine Hosmer having 7/175 and not striking on it yet.