Caleb Porter stocking up on ex-Zips with both Zemanski and Nanchoff coming via trade. All they gave up was the rights to Bornstein and a 4th (yes, 4th) round draft pick. Not a bad haul.
You didn't really expect either of those players to demand a high price did you? Zemanski is the better of the two but it was from Chivas and I'm not sure he's a starter for Portland. Vancouver sent Nanchoff down to their U-23 team after last season and then cut him this year. I guess they must have only cut and not waived him so they retained his rights.
Zemanski could've netted Chivas more than that. Then again, it's Chivas. Nanchoff is basically a walking body cast at this point, so I'm not surprised it was a low price for him. But I like the possible upside Portland gets in the deal here. The draft will be even more diluted by the growth of HG in 2015 when Vancouver finally gets that Supplemental Draft pick.
That was kind of my point, another team wouldn't have traded him. That said again I don't even know if he starts do Portland. What they really need is defenders but we aren't going to give them Barson and Houston isn't giving Sarkodie. Most of their trialists this off-season have been midfielders and strikers; I could see them being one of those teams that loses games 4-3. Yeah but Vancouver doesn't care, it would have been like Yeags coaching another team in MLS and us trading Balchan to them for almost nothing. The difference there is someone wanted Nanchoff as a body on an MLS team and Vancouver only cut Nanchoff; they didn't waive him so they retained his rights.
To answer your question: no, I didn't expect either to demand a high price. That doesn't mean they weren't good moves for the Timbers.
James Riley traded to DC for a second round supplemental draft pick. Chivas cutting the wage bill AND stocking up on valuable supplemental picks!
Chivas seems to be running neck and neck with Toronto for comedic value. Hell Ryan Nelson might even lift them out of the race for unmitigated disaster of the league.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/02/15/more-from-d-c-uniteds-jason-levien/ DC United Managing Partner says: "“There are some advantages to RFK."
Yeah, like a giant parking lot....you can park far enough away to avoid crumbling facade. (Imagine the Ohio Pen)
You guys keep laughing at Toronto. I'm telling you, with Payne in charge, they aren't going to be rolling over. Payne wasn't necessarily responsible for D.C. United's many successes, but leadership comes from the top and he was the top of the D.C. United juggernaut from the beginning. He was coxswain of the organization through: 4 MLS Cup Championships 4 Supporter's Shields 2 U.S. Open Cups 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup 1 Copa Interamericana 2 MLS Cup and Supporter's Shield Doubles 1 MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup Double He is THE most decorated soccer executive in the history of the U.S.
Rapids supporters from an umbrella SG and it makes headlines at MLSSoccerSoccer.com http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/2013/02/13/colorado-rapids-supporters-unite-form-centennial-38
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/02/17/galaxy-announce-donovan-will-rejoin-club-late-march Apparently, Landon Donovan will rejoin the Galaxy in late March. That will have him missing three matches, plus a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series. But he is returning, which surprises me. Everything I had heard made me think he was done. As Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friend."
My cynical side bets LD is just annoyed that Robbie's stealing all of the headlines re: stepping away from the game. "What, you mean nobody's asking 'will he or won't he?' about me this week? Better get back to camp."
I'd figured LD would return sooner or later. He just seemed burned out at the end of last season and needed some time away to recharge. This is good news for the USMNT too.
No guarantee he'll do both, though. Lots of players end their international career before their club career.
I'm not sure I'd even want him back with the Nats at this point. His head's not in it, he's barely played with these some of these guys, we're in a transition to something new (supposedly), and there's no way of knowing if he'll want to be involved next year when we need him. Could he help us today? Yes. But I honestly think we'd be stunting the growth of the team long term.
It is, but I can understand the reluctance if only because Klinsmann continually ignores him. After the Costa Rica and Mexico qualifiers, JK will only have picked him in something like six out of the last 23 games (a skewed stat to be sure due to not taking into account injuries, meaningless friendlies, Jan camp, etc.) Now there's an argument in there somewhere about whether that in itself is a diabolical mistake, but I just can't imagine JK wouldn't want a fully committed, fit and firing LD in his team. I just don't think it's a decision JK takes lightly. Meanwhile, the Galaxy really didn't have any choice but to leave the door open. Of course it would have been foolish had they not, but still. It's a different set of circumstances for JK, he needs all hands to the deck. If LD wants to sleep through the storm in the cabin below, well then he isn't going to get picked.