03-10-2013, 05:56 PM
Quote:<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kid" data-cid="202542" data-time="1362893250">
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BT" data-cid="202541" data-time="1362881875">
if the Cubs draft him by definition he isn't even the best player in the draft
Although this may be true with respect to Appel, I disagree with the presumption that the #2 pick "by definition" isn't the best player in the draft. First, there may not be a consensus best player in a given draft. One team's #1 is another's #2. For example, I would assume there was a split in 2001 when Mauer was #1 and Prior was #2. Also, signability is a factor. I agree that given that he's a college senior, signability may not be a huge factor with respect to Appel this year, but in at least some years, it has to be a factor that might cause the team with the first pick to not take who they believe to be the best player in the draft.
All that being said, I like the idea of Appel because it's reasonable to assume he could be major league ready in a hurry. Certainly, you'd have to think he'd have a good chance of being able to be in the majors by 2015.
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All of that has been "solved" by the new rules. There are 2 issues you bring up. Signability is the key one, but that is negated by giving every team strict rules on what they can do to sign a player. Second is team preference as to who is the best player in the draft. If Appel is taken second NOW, it's because he's considered the second best player in the draft, simply because the negotiations have been taken out of the equation. It's possible teams will take lesser players in the first round after talking to them so they can assure themselves of saving some first round money for later, but drafts are basically going to go by virtue of how a team values a player from here on out.
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Plus if he doesn't sign the team essentially gets a do-over pick the next season right? The team really has all the leverage, especially with a college senior.