Sports Illustrated claimed 2 days ago that Appel has already signed for 6.34 mill (according to Jim Callis) but Jeff Luhnow stated publically about 10 minutes ago that the Astros are not begenning any serious negotiations with Appel and Boras until after this coming Sunday. I guess that Callis either has a source inside the Astros FO or he is guessing based on what 7 of the other top 10 have already signed for.

Last year, I wrote that he was a fool to gamble with 3.4 mill, seeing as how he would be a senior without any leverage this year, but his gamble paid off. He will certainly be getting a lot more than 3+ mill IF he signs with the Astros, and he will, because he has nowhere else to go, and if he were to go to the indys, he would have to just re-enter the draft next year.

He could have been hurt, been ineffective, perhaps other guys, especially HS or prep guys could have outshone him, youneverknow. But he has his college degree and an additional 3 mill too.

It really never stops surprising me how many people really REALLY don’t think athletes should be paid what they are worth, in terms of entertainment – after all, as Barry Lamar once said, quite accurately, athletes are just entertainers. People, for some bizarre reason, like to pretend that athletic feats are “heroic” or somehow “moral” but really, they aren’t. They only example they set, if any (good one, I mean) is that they work long and hard to be the best at what they do, very few coast on only natural talent for very long after the competition intensifies.

So, why all the hate directed toward Appel for  working harder for a better payoff and succeeding? People (not just Scrooge owners) think that ballplayers shouldn’t be paid signing bonuses because they haven’t done anything in the majors. Well, they are not allowed to sell their services to the highest bidder, as any other working person can do. If a person graduates from the police academy, they are not forced to work in the state police dept if they want to work in the Sheriff’s department. They can also apply for a job in any state, county or city they wish.

But ballplayers have no choice. They are grossly underpaid as minor leaguers, starved half to death in the lower minors, paid less than minimum wage to provide entertainment, and then IF they do make it to the majors, are certainly NOT paid what they are worth even then.

Now we all know that if we go into Mc Donalds, we have to pay before we get the food, and if we go into a restaurant, we pay after we eat the food, but we don’t have the choice of going into a new restaurant, eating, then paying only 10% of the value of the meal because the place hasn’t gotten famous yet.

Ballplayers are never paid at the end of year 1, 2 or 3 for the value they provided that year. AND they may never get to the arb year – injuries, sudden suckage, whatever, youneverknow.

Sad thing is that fans LIKE this. Fans prefer to see the huge sums of money going to the owners rather than the entertainers – like rooting for the owner of a coal mine and his mansion on top of the hill where he can watch all the laborors trudge into the gloom every day and emerge sicker and poorer for it.

Teams have also started leaning on the players – getting them to sign very team friendly deals early in their careers which buy out arb years and several FA years for cheap. Guys do that because they are afraid of injury. 10 mill they get is better than the 50 they are worth because it is guaranteed. Guys like Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn, who insist on going to FA, are the exception these days.

Which reminds me – you notice that Jose Altuve has not been offered any sort of long term deal. You notice that Luhnow and gang are openly saying that they are stockpiling prospects and not worrying (substitute any other euphemism for punting) this year and the next 2. You wanna bet that they dump, I mean trade, Altuve for more prospects as soon as he gets expensive? They are shopping Bud Norris (currently pitching 5 innings of shutout ball) as he is going to be a year 2 arb player next year and that IS gonna cost. They are also going to try to move Veras and Harrell and Pena at the deadline for more prospects.

Some people really have no interest in the ML team, just all the prospects in the minors – who, naturally, aren’t getting paid real too much.

Anyway, you know they are going to do something clever like call up Delino Deshields, who will be cheap again.

I also like all the talk about how the Astros plan to call up Appel this year. Or next – you know, the years they don’t plan on being competitive so that as soon as they ARE, Appel will be an expensive arb player. THAT makes sense, right?

Actually, Peacock had done decently since being recalled 10 days ago – only 3 appearances, which is hardly enough to keep a guy sharp. 2.1 IP, 1 hit, no walks, no runs on 5/30. Didn’t do as well 6/2 – threw 1.1 IP, gave up 2 walks, 2 H, 1 HR and 2 runs over 1.1 IP. Came in last night when it was obvious that it was one of Bedard’s Bad Days and threw 3.1 innings of 2 H, 1 W, 1 R ball.

Starters have been managing to pitch deeper into games these past few weeks, so long relievers haven’t been needed as much.

Leftys, however, are a different story, which is why the Astros picked up lefty starter Wade LeBlanc off waivers. Travis Blackley has been getting a workout, and Wesley is pretty strictly being used as a LOOGY.

Wade is coming over frm the Marlins, so he’ll be used to losing – except for his last game, he’s pitched only in losses this year. He looks like a 5th guy – had 7 starts before being put into the pen. He had one bad start, but except for that, he looked like a decent 5th guy who got minimal run support.
5 IP – 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 runs – 1 run of support
6 IP – 6 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 runs – left losing 2-0
4 IP – 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 runs – ND
6 IP – 8 H (2 HR) 1 BB, 2 K, 4 runs – 2 runs of support
5.2 IP – 8 H (1 HR) 0 BB, 4 K, 4 Runs – ND
5 IP – 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 4 R – no run support

Looks pretty good for a 5th guy – can’t imagine who they have that is a better pitcher for a 5th man.

In relief, 13.2 IP over 6 games since 5/14 – 16 H, 4 R/ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 6 K – not bad. He’s obviously not a high K guy, but as long as you have good infield defense, which he didn’t exactly have in FLorida, he should be decent.

He started with the Padres, was their second rounder in 06, has never had a full year in the majors, which means he won’t be arb eligible until next year, which should make the cheapos happy. He was a starter with the Pads, started 52, relieved in 2, has a 81 ERA+ over 293.1 IP and a 1.42 WHIP. He gave up 1.4 HR/9 (!!!!) 3.5 BB/9 and 6.3 K/9. Not great numbers.

Was traded to Miami last year for catcher John Baker (remember they signed John Buck to this expensive contract, then dumped him after the year to go back to losing and cheap).

Had a decent year as spot starter and long reliever – 9 GS, 14 in relief, 3.67 ERA (107 ERA+)  9.3 H/9, 2.5 BB/9, 5.6 K/9, 1.31 WHIP.

This year, his numbers look the same except for an increase in H/9 to 11.7, which increased his WHIP significantly.

I was gonna compare him to Travis Blackley, but it looks as if Travis this year has pretty strictly been used as a LOOGY/short relief, as he has 21.1 IP over 22 games. Travis’ problem is that he has given up too many homers and walks – 2.4/9 IP and 6.3/9 IP, which are much worse numbers than he posted as a starter past year. Funny that he hasn’t been used in long relief, but Bedard is the only one who has been used in that role at all this year.

Peacock is going into the rotation at AAA – Jarred Cosart and  Asher Wojciechowski are the only starting pitchers there who aren’t stinking the place up.

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