No Deal for Appel

[love_that_reefer]

Pirates GM Neal Huntington explained in a statement that the team offered as much as it could without losing future picks.

“Our final offer exceeded the available bonus pool money and was essentially up to the last dollar we could offer prior to falling into the second tier penalty which would have resulted in the loss of a first round draft selection," Huntington said. "While, as we have shown in past years, we are willing to be aggressive with our financial offer, we simply did not feel it was in the best interest of the organization to forfeit our first round selection in the 2013 amateur draft."

The Pirates will select ninth overall next year, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.

Sucks for the Pirates but this was probably best for them. I feel Appel will regret not signing.

[Trendy Bastard]

That's what he gets for being so damn money hungry.

When he was falling I about shat myself in excitement, then found out he wasn't budging money wise. I'm happy with Almora.

[Witlon]

We'll see how well this goes for the Buccos. Because you could argue that a potential #1 starter is more valuable than keeping the pick next year, especially if we keep up the winning ways of the first half.

I know they don't want to piss off the league, but, people give up first round picks all the time to sign guys like Jeremy Affeldt, I have a feeling Appel would be better than that.

[love_that_reefer]

Pirates will have the #9 pick in next years draft so Appel might not be worth that. They took a shot this year and failed to sign him. No big deal as far as I see it. Appel better hope he doesn't fall any further next year.

[Witlon]

Yeah, my thinking is, would we trade the #9 pick and whatever pick we end up with from this year(I know you can't, but in a world that we can...)for a potential ace?

[Foster]

I can see this move really hurting himself.

If he doesn't go high next year, he'll be dropped down in the order again, and be picked by another team that may not go over slot. He's really gambling on what will happen next year.

[Witlon]

Luke Hochevar did a similar thing(during the time of draft-and-follows), and ended up the #1 overall pick.(And got $500,000 more.)

So it's not foreign that somebody could end up better off.

...but yeah, it'll probably hurt him.

[realmofotalk]

The Luke Hochevar fiasco turned out pretty well for the Dodgers. His re-entry in the following year's draft bumped every other prospect down a slot, leaving the uber stud Andrew Miller to fall onto the Tigers' lap when they were prepared to take a high school kid named Clayton Kershaw one pick ahead of Los Doyers.

[Foster]

Well from what I've seen next years draft class is kinda weak. Appel may have played his cards right.