Appel striving for consistency in Fall League

Astros prospect Mark Appel dominated with a premium fastball for the first two innings against the Scottsdale Scorpions on Friday in the Arizona Fall League, but he lost velocity after that and became very tentative when he got into jams in the third and fifth. It was just a five-inning snapshot, yet it left some scouts in attendance wondering if the 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander will become the dominant starter Houston plans to build a rotation around.