ValleyCats

The Tri-City ValleyCats will get a special boost later this week, when the No. 1 pick joins the team.

Mark Appel, who was selected No. 1 in the recent 2013 MLB Draft, will pitch for the ValleyCats on Friday, July 5, against Lowell.

Appel will join the team on Thursday, July 4.

Appel finished the 2013 season with a 10-4 record for Stanford, with a 2.12 ERA. He set the program record for strikeouts with 372.

Appel signed with Houston two weeks ago and has been working out in Florida since.

Appel will be the highest drafted player to play for the ValleyCats and fourth first-round pick to play in Troy.

Jason Castro (2008), Jordan Lyles (2008) and George Springer (2011) are the other first round selections to appear for the ValleyCats.

J.S. Carras/The Record

The Tri-City ValleyCats kicked off the 2013 season with a 9-3 victory over New York-Penn League rival Vermont on Monday.

The offense really got going, with 15 hits, four from Jon Kemmer (left), who also hit his first pro home run.

Here is a link to my story on the offensive cranking it up on opening night.

Here is a link to a fan story I wrote for news on the season-opener at Joe Bruno Stadium.

Here is a link to a preview story I wrote about the franchise, which has quotes from both president Bill Gladstone and general manager Rick Murphy.

Below is video of first baseman Conrad Gregor, a fourth round selection in the 2013 draft.

The Tri-City ValleyCats could get the benefit of having the No. 1 pick from the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in Mark Appel.

The Houston Astros make Appel, a right-handed pitcher from Stanford, the No. 1 pick on Thursday evening.

Here is a link to my story, where I talk to Tri-City general manager Rick Murphy about the possibility of having Appel in Troy to start the 2013 season.

AP

On Monday, Stubby Clapp, the manager of the Tri-City ValleyCats wasn't particularly pleased with a call from one of the two umpires, during an afternoon game against the Auburn Doubledays.

He let the umpires know about it...for a few minutes.

The YouTube video already has more than 84,000 views, probably because it's been picked up by Deadspin and ESPN.com just tweeted about it.

I've dealt with Stubby a couple of times and he isn't really like this often. I think things may have just boiled over from the team not playing well/a hot day/a bad call.

You be the judge.