Article: Twins Daily Audio: Could Appel Be Coming?

[Twins Daily Admin]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1845-Twins-Daily-Audio-Could-Appel-Be-Coming

[Red Bull]

I was just on Kfan dotcom and was on the Common Mans website and he had a list of the "Most poposterus statements uttered in 13" and I saw one on there that kinda made me mad that he thought it was poposterus, here it is-

 

80) Jim Callis (Baseball America): "Minor Leaguers Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano could become close approximation to Mike Trout and Bryce Harper."

 

Why does he think thats poposterus? I mean Buxton had so much hype before the season and hes done better than people thought he would, same with Sano. They have the talent to be as good as those two or better.

 

Oh and good job on the podcast, they are getting better each time.

[Red Bull]

You guys should play some Devin the Dude- Doobie Ashtray as your openning song...

[Shane Wahl]

Look, if Appel or Gray fall in their laps, the Twins would be VERY mistaken not to select either one of them. I cannot believe there is any doubt about this.

[Shane Wahl]

Smith isn't going to be a first baseman. He is likely to be a left fielder or maybe a right fielder. Organizations know this.

[Shane Wahl]

And yes, Appel will be up somewhere this year. Whatever team can limit his innings in AA or whatever and then give him a good 30 innings in September. Gray is similar, but with less innings.

[Shane Wahl]

Appel is clearly the best pick. Gray is second. I would say Stewart is third. I am skeptical about Bryant and like a few pitchers ahead of him. To not take one of those first three is a mistake.

[Shane Wahl]

Appel is going to sign. What the hell? He is GOING TO SIGN. He would have to be an absolute idiot not to.

[clutterheart]

Can you post this on libsyn?

I live in a country where dropbox is blocked

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Smith isn't going to be a first baseman. He is likely to be a left fielder or maybe a right fielder. Organizations know this.

 

I can only tell you from the Twins perspective, but if they drafted Smith, he would 100% be a first baseman. He could handle the outfield, but would be a Gold Glove first baseman.

[amjgt]

I haven't listened to the podcast yet, but I was just thinking yesterday, "I wonder if the Twins even want Appel to fall to them."

 

I think most of us fans do, but I'm curious if the Twins would like that.

 

If that does happen and we end up with Appel, think back to a year ago, and imagine if you could tell 1-year-ago you that the Twins were going to end up with Appel and Buxton in their farm system.

[Vervehound]

Look, if Appel or Gray fall in their laps, the Twins would be VERY mistaken not to select either one of them. I cannot believe there is any doubt about this.

 

the twins likely wouldn't go much over slot for appel and that would still represent a decrease of what he was likely offered by the 'stros and rejected last year. after going back to school to put himself in a higher leverage position, why would he sign for that?

 

i think appel is going to break the draft in its current iteration. the 'stros aren't going to pick him when they could get at least equal value with gray and after that the only team that could likely lure him into signing would be the cubs. if they pass, i think it's hello st. paul saints for him - it could get very interesting.

[amjgt]

Boras' goal might be to break the draft.

[John Bonnes]

Can you post this on libsyn?

I live in a country where dropbox is blocked

 

I'll work on getting it under the TwinsDaily.com domain.

[John Bonnes]

Boras' goal might be to break the draft.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if MLB's strategy might be to break Boras.

[diehardtwinsfan]

If Appel is there, I think we should take him. He's one of the two best players on the board, and there's other good reasons. For one, he has little leverage and if he wants to be in MLB, he may have to accept slot or even a bit below. What's he going to do if the Twins say 4M and hold? He slid once before and turned down a pay day. He might get a bit bigger one, but he's also moving into a tougher 2014 class. You dance with the devil enough, and you will get burned. Second, if the Twins don't sign him, they get the #5 pick in a much deeper draft next year along with whatever pick they earn this year.

[nicksaviking]

the twins likely wouldn't go much over slot for appel and that would still represent a decrease of what he was likely offered by the 'stros and rejected last year. after going back to school to put himself in a higher leverage position, why would he sign for that?

 

i think appel is going to break the draft in its current iteration. the 'stros aren't going to pick him when they could get at least equal value with gray and after that the only team that could likely lure him into signing would be the cubs. if they pass, i think it's hello st. paul saints for him - it could get very interesting.

 

The Saints? Then what, go back into the draft again next year? The Astros are going to have the 1st pick for the 3rd year in a row what will change? Appel will be a top four pick and make more than the Pirates offered last year and Boras and Appel will get to have their petty victory and crow about how smart they are even if they are secretly disappointed he didn't go #1.

[amjgt]

On the technical aspects of the actual podcast, Bonnes and Nygard's audio sounded great. Don't change a thing.

 

Stohs' audio was worse than the last one.

[Kwak]

I haven't listened to the podcast yet, but I was just thinking yesterday, "I wonder if the Twins even want Appel to fall to them."

 

I think most of us fans do, but I'm curious if the Twins would like that.

 

If that does happen and we end up with Appel, think back to a year ago, and imagine if you could tell 1-year-ago you that the Twins were going to end up with Appel and Buxton in their farm system.

My interpretation from a LEN article in today's Strib was that the Twins want to avoid Boras--even if it means passing on an elite player.

 

"Boras trying to 'break' the draft"? If so, clearly MLB would act to break Boras--invoking the "for the good of the game" defense.

[Vervehound]

The Saints? Then what, go back into the draft again next year? The Astros are going to have the 1st pick for the 3rd year in a row what will change? Appel will be a top four pick and make more than the Pirates offered last year and Boras and Appel will get to have their petty victory and crow about how smart they are even if they are secretly disappointed he didn't go #1.

 

i believe draft rights last a year. he'd eventually become a free agent.

 

which gets you to thinking....appel is probably worth a $6-7 million dollar bonus in the current draft structure but if he were to hit free agency, his value likely doubles. much of that would be for the rarity of the commodity - in very few places can a team spend whatever they want on young, major league-ready talent (cuba and japan come to mind) so he'd likely induce a frenzy.

[SDTwinkie]

Really like this podcast--would love a way to subscribe and download to a mobile device.

[IdahoPilgrim]

i believe draft rights last a year. he'd eventually become a free agent.

 

which gets you to thinking....appel is probably worth a $6-7 million dollar bonus in the current draft structure but if he were to hit free agency, his value likely doubles. much of that would be for the rarity of the commodity - in very few places can a team spend whatever they want on young, major league-ready talent (cuba and japan come to mind) so he'd likely induce a frenzy.

 

Yes - but if he gets drafted again next year he's in the same boat. He will only be a free agent after a draft passes in which he is not selected. That means 40 rounds each year. My guess is it will be a few years before he can do that. There will always be some team willing to throw away a round 30 pick just on the off-chance he's ready to commit.

[COtwin]

MLB might even ask a team to keep drafting him just to block him from becoming a free agent. Boras has screwed up enough of the system as it is.

[nicksaviking]

MLB might even ask a team to keep drafting him just to block him from becoming a free agent. Boras has screwed up enough of the system as it is.

 

I doubt they'd even have to ask. I'm sure the small revenue clubs would line up to toss a 20th rounder at him to make sure the draft doesn't become the farce it used to be.

 

I wonder if the idea that Appel will be a hard sign is getting blown out of proportion. Last year there was the notion that he would be difficult and he did have leverage, but what if it was a lot of huffing and puffing? Pre draft, sure Boras and his client are going to demand top dollar, but what if they actually would have signed for slot value in 2012 or perhaps just a shade more? We will never know because the Astros had no intention of paying slot, their stratagy appeared to be to go under.