MLB Rumors: Pittsburgh Pirates Can't Afford to Play Hardball with Mark Appel

While many consider the fact that the Houston Astros took shortstop Carlos Correa No. 1 overall to be the biggest surprise of the MLB draft, Stanford pitcher Mark Appel falling to the Pittsburgh Pirates at No. 8 was just as shocking. The pick was a major steal, but now the Bucs can't let him slip away.

According to Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres, Appel turned down a $6 million offer from the Astros, which may be why they decided upon Correa instead. That could put Pittsburgh in a bind since its draft budget is just $6.6 million, but everything possible must be done to secure the big righty.

It wouldn't be much of a surprise if this rumor were true since Appel is being represented by Scott Boras. The super agent is well known for his hard bargaining and refusal to give an inch, so the Pirates may be in for a battle. Rather than risking Appel not signing, though, Pittsburgh must play it cool during negotiations.

If Krasovic's report is correct, then the Astros essentially went with what they believed was the second-best choice. I understand that $6 million is a lot to pay for an unproven player, but if Appel ends up becoming the best player from this class, then Houston's front office will be kicking itself for years to come.

The Pirates have been in the MLB basement for so many years that failing to sign Appel would be catastrophic. There is a lot of work left to do in Pittsburgh, but with last year's top pick, Gerrit Cole, quickly rising through the ranks, the Pirates could build one of the best young rotations in baseball with Appel in the fold.

There is no question that the way the MLB draft is set up is unfair to small-market teams since players can pretty much demand whatever they want. With that said, though, sometimes teams need to spend a bit beyond their means if they want to compete with the big boys. That is the case with the Pirates as they have to pay to get marquee talent.

If the Pirates drafted Appel without the expectation of having to throw down a lot of cash, then that reeks of incompetence. Most figured Appel would be taken No. 2 at the latest, and with Boras backing him, he was probably expecting a fat contract. Now it's time for the Pirates to put up or shut up.

The Pirates gave Cole an $8 million signing bonus last season, and while he was the No. 1 overall pick, Appel is a player of that caliber as well. Conventional wisdom says that the No. 8 selection should earn significantly less than the top pick, but the Pirates know that it simply doesn't work that way in MLB.

As unfair as it may seem, Appel and Boras are likely to squeeze every last penny out of the Pirates. It may not be right, but the Bucs can't sit around and feel sorry for themselves. They decided to pick Appel, and now they absolutely must sign him.

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