2011 Topps USA Baseball #USA-1 Mark Appel (pre-RC)

The most intriguing player returned to the Phillies from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade is 2013 #1 overall pick Mark Appel.

2011 Topps USA Baseball #USA1 Mark Appel

Mark Appel has been unable to match the off-field hype during a professional career that now stands at 250+ innings with a cringeworthy 5.12 ERA. That is not a small sample size although Appel did show modest improvement posting a 4.37 ERA across two levels in 2015.

2011 Topps USA Baseball
Topps USA is a61 card set with a couple of players that have already emerged. Notable Pre-RCss other than Appel in the set are Michael Wacha, Addison Russell, Joey Gallo, and Kevin Gausman.

In 2010 Topps produced a similar set that included Gerrit Cole and others.

2011 Topps USA Baseball #USA1 Mark Appel (b-side)

Mark Appel got card #1 in the set because he is listed first among Collegiate National Team players alphabetically, not because he was the #1 draft pick or #1 prospect. Text on the back of the card mentions Appel's accomplishments at Stanford and Team USA.


2015 WAR Projection

Last season I tried to project the WAR of the 2015 Phils and came up with an incredibly optimisting 70+ Wins -  but I think that was dependent on a deluded idea that Chase Utley was returning to form and that Cliff Lee had a shot to be healthy.

I will attempt to do the same this off-season. I see Mark Appel will appear in the Major leagues late in 2015 but his contributions will be minor. +0.0 WAR is my projection for his first Phillies foray.

As more WAR Projections get posted I will Index and total them similar to the 2015 list.

Sources and Links
2016 Phillies WAR projections Index
Baseball-ref

Joey Gallo (Baseball America #6 Prospect) Gets the Call

The Texas Rangers are expected to call up Third Base Prospect Joey Gallo today.

2011 Topps USA Baseball Joey Gallo

The 21 year old Third Baseman has 40+ homers each of the last two seasons with 9 through 34 games at AA this year. He is a strike out machine (478Ks in 330 professional games) however he has been able to cut down that rate as he has developed.

Las Vegas is suddenly a source of big time baseball talent. Gallo was a teammate of Bryce Harper's before either of them were in their teens and Cubs Prospect Kris Bryant also hails from the Nevada gambling mecca.

2011 Topps USA Baseball
This is at least the 2nd card we have featured from this set. Last month we discussed Cubs rookie second baseman Addison Russell.

Sources and Links
Baseball America 2015 Prospect Handbook
Baseball-ref

Baseball America #3 Prospect Addison Russell

A week after calling up Baseball America's #1 Prospect, the Cubs are not calling up the BA #3 Prospect.

 

2011 Topps USA Baseball #USA-57  Addison Russell

This is a card from the 2011 USA Baseball set which was issued when Addison Russell was still in High School at age 17. 

Flip

2011 Topps USA Baseball #USA-57  Addison Russell (b-side)

The reverse side gives a snapshot of Russell's devotion to the game. 

In the early part of the 2015 season the Cubs have become a much watch team.

Addison Russell 2013

An Addison Russell card was the subject of an interview with a Topps rep on an MLB network. A transcript of the conversation can be found here.

Good news for the prospector who picked up the 2013 BowPlat card mentioned in our posting. It is currently up from the $7.77 purchase price in 2013 to $10.50 in current auctions.

Sources and Links 
Baseball-ref
ebay

TRENDY: 2011 Topps USA Baseball #21 Michael Wacha (pre-RC)

2011 Topps USA Baseball #21 Michael Wacha

In only his 9th career start Michael Wacha came an out away from a no-hitter. One has to wonder if he will ever get the opportunity again. The Cardinals have a mess of good young players on their roster. Among those players are three pitchers Wacha, Lane Lynn and Joe Kelly.

2011 Topps USA Baseball
Topps USA is a small 61 card set with a couple of players that have already emerged. The most notable (other than Wacha after Yesterday) is Mark Appel along with the Orioles Kevin Gausman. There is a retail version of the set (one autograph card per box) which I see for $15 and under occasionally. In 2010 Topps produced a similar set that included Gerrit Cole and others.

Other Voices
Cardboard Connection Michael Wacha RC/Procpect Price Guide (2013 10 07)

Sources
www.sportscardradio.com
baseball-ref.com
cardboard connection