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.”

Who would Darviah bump from the rotations in LA and NY hypothetically

Sox offer was 7.5 Glad they lost. 3M isn't insignificant to their off season goals.

ATTN all MLB GM's: Please no one help the Yankees clear salary. Cause why would you do that?

Such a poor example next to Buck's beautiful coiffe

His English is excellent but yeah his voice is kind of nasally

I'll still be surprised if no one gives him a 1 year DH job

Yeah you're right. There were tons of people let go but all in the club house and executive offices and training staff. None of the main coaching staff.

Most northern Ohio racists aren't computer literate

Did our bench coach survive all the firings I can't remember

Or Zaun

Teams are being more realistic about where they stand (except for Baltimore of course, which is great)

It is But teams that anticipate finishing 4th and 5th in their divisions know its not worth spending money on the first and second tier of free agents. The win increase isn't worth the expenditure. Those teams now tend to re stock their farms and look for value buys.

Agreed Though I'm. Biased as I'm half way through binge watching the whole series in a month

Yeah Machado has been pretty classy the last two years I want to continue to dislike him but he gives me no reason to. (Other than being a very good player on a team I despise...)

The funny thing is they probanly think they actually miss him and want him back

There are so many unsigned free agents with no team that they're considering setting up their own spring training camp: https://www.thescore.com/news/1474154

And his fantasy value skyrockets

Orioles' Buck Showalter: Manny Machado to move from third base to shortstop USA TODAY Sports Published 12:46 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2018 Manny Machado, who had expressed his desire to play shortstop this winter, will get his wish this season. Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced Saturday that he plans to start Machado at shortstop and move Tim Beckham at third base. “We’re moving him back to his natural position," said Showalter at FanFest. "He’s really excited about this.” By granting him his wish, it could have a long-term effect. Machado, who had been the subject of trade rumors all winter, becomes a free agent after the season. He had been lobbying for the move for when he hits free agency. Showalter said the change is subject to change based on how things go during spring training. Machado, a two-time Gold Glove third baseman, has logged only 52 games at shortstop in 767 career games. He has been the regular third baseman since he broke into the majors in 2012. Beckham has played only nine games at third base to his 173 career games at shortstop.

Oops Obviously overstated the Twins owning the division They will surge ahead of KC, DET and CWS

Twins are probably gonna own that division for a while