Expansion Draft Discussion

For the record, I protected…

I’m not sure Zakuani’s safe.  He may have graduated from Generation Adidas to the senior roster this year based on his playing time.  There don’t really seem to be firm guidelines, so it’s just one more thing we have to be uncertain about today…

Where is Marshal??  He was going to be my 11th vote.

Hey Mike,

I also wrote a piece on the 2009 mls expansion draft over at Rally Blues.

It’s an interesting discussion, for sure.

Some people seem to think Zakuani will graduate from Generation Adidas because of the playing time he racked up this year.

I ran a poll as well and it seems the top players that people want to protect are:

Zakuani
Riley
Ianni
Evans
Le Toux
Levesque
Jaqua

That was assuming we would have to protect the majority of our foreigners (besides Nyassi) – like the other teams had to last year – and that we would keep Keller on automatically as long as he wants to stay.

I’d be interested to see how people respond in your poll.

Cheers!

I really think the starting 11 minus Zak because he is free plus Ianni.  Ianni is a much better pick the LeToux and we need to keep a solid defensive for the Open Cup and Champions League.  Plus I think Ianni will be much more sought after than LeToux.

I’m also not sure about Zakuani.  Only MLS and Seattle know if he’s protected; graduation is based entirely on whether or not MLS decides a player has performed well enough to stand on his own two feet without GA protection.  It seems to be closely linked to playing time, of which our Stevie Z has gotten a lot.

And Adrian himself said that Freddie  does not need to be protected because he’s a DP, meaning we get 11 + Freddie.  Which makes no sense whatsoever given how the rules are written. 

Romero at the Times is reporting that Zaku HAS graduated from GA and will have to be protected.

Like a Boss!

We’ve added Zakuani to the list … but now the votes will probably be messed up.

yamsmos Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:30 am

get with the program mike. this poll sucks

Mike Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm

I suck.

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Voted for 11 including Ljundberg and Zakuani:
 
Alonso
Evans
Hurtado
Ianni
Jaqua
Keller
Montero
Riley
Gonzalez
Zakuani
Ljundberg
 
If Ljundberg/Zakuani somehow not count against our 11, I’d add Marshall and LeToux, in that order.

…and I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that Philly tries to secure Jeff Parke. Right? Everybody’s hoping that? Parke or maybe Vagenas?

I’m hoping that high salaries protect Marshall ($157k), Sturgis (100k) and Le Toux (100k). I’d like to keep all of them.

Unfortunately, low salaries seem to expose Graham ($55k), King ($34k) and Eylander (45.5k) , who I think are most likely to be picked from the squad. I’d hate to see any of them go.

Other low salaries that I’m less concerned about losing: Nyassi ($34k), Jarrod Smith (37.8k), Brown (34k).

I don’t know about Roger L’s salary. I could see him cherry-picked, though, which is unhappy but not devastating.

Throw Zakuani overboard.

Leave Jaqua unprotected.  If they pick him up, go get a DP striker, if they don’t, off the bench and get a DP striker.  Rumors are 2-3 DPs next year.  If 2 get a striker, if 3 get a striker and a CM and move FL to the outside.  We have money to spend, lets do that.  Rumors are $4mil salary cap.

The issue is going to show its head again next year.  At least we’re limited to loosing 1 player per expansion.  Last year Houston didn’t protect Onstad due to us having Keller under contract.  Both Portland and Vancouver already have sides, so they can sign players and then loan them to their USL/..? level team (aka what we did with Roger and Seba).

The players have been told who is protected and who isn’t.  I think it really sucks to have to “protect” guys after a first year – especially with the amount of travel they’ve been through over the last 9 months.