No sense in cutting and pasting since it looks like PRO will announce the assignments each week now, similar to how it's done in England. Anyway, Week 1: http://www.proreferees.com/mls-assignments-3-2-13-3-2-13.php
Games are not scheduled, but that was a decisions made by PRO. There is no need to continually add referees to the pool, just for the sake of it. At some point you have to stop, and work with what you have for the time being. When the pool get too large, it becomes unmanageable from numerous standpoints - logistics, training, monitoring, balance, consistency, etc.
Also, you can't read TOO much into those 4th assignments since they're both at the Home Depot Center. That hasn't been all that rare since Chivas joined the league.
I've got a feeling, with the more publicly defined pool and the dedicated 4ths, this is going to be more of a common practice on the weekends where both teams play at home. If you're going to fly a 4th to LA, you might as well get two matches out of him. It makes a lot of sense.
some interesting background and info on the MLS disciplinary committee... http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mccarthys-musings-mls-disciplinary-committee-163000250--mls.html
According to Walton, the number of MLS referees went down from 37 in 2012 to 21 in 2013. The number of full-time referees went up from 2 in 2012 to 9 in 2013.
But a good percentage of those 16 people who are "off" the list were 4ths only last year. And a few were people who clearly left the list during the middle of last season (Vaughn and E. Bazakos, as examples, or Kennedy through retirement). So the practical culling isn't quite as dramatic as those numbers indicate. I actually interpreted DudBro's question to be asking how many whistles, who were "active" at the end of last year, like Ward, are no longer going to get whistles in the league this year. I don't know the answer to that question.
We'll know a lot more once they post an official roster. There were 30 different referees for MLS games last season so if we're down to a pool of 21, 9 of those referees will not be returning. We already know Paul Ward and Michael Kennedy are off the list so that leaves 7 more. Elias Bazakos and Terry Vaughn both appeared to be off the list last year so let's assume that won't change, leaving us with 5 to cull. The remaining referees who worked the LEAST number of matches are: Okulaja, Anno, R. Hernandez, Reyes (who all had 5 whistles), and four guys who called 7 matches (Gantar, Fischer, Kadlecik, Foerster). I would seem likely that the 21 remaining referees are: Chapman Villarreal Toledo Penso Jurisevic F. Bazakos Gamble Grajeda Elfath Marrufo Gonzalez Rivero Guzman Stott Geiger Salazar Petrescu Stoica plus 3 of the less-active referees mentioned above.
From what I heard Kadlacik is still with PRO. Not sure if thats just as a 4th or not but thats just what I've heard.
Reiterating the stipulation that I honestly don't know the answer to this, but from what I've heard, my guess for the final three on ManiacalClown's list are Fischer, Foerster and Gantar. I've also heard that Gonzalez might have retired, so that would open up a fourth spot, which would either be Kadlecik or Reyes (I've also heard Kadlecik was retained, but it could be as just a fourth). I don't think Hernandez, Okulaja and Anno are back, but I could be wrong.
I think Gantar and Fischer are virtual locks because I wouldn't expect to lose a second Canadian. Foerster also seems like the more likely third over Kadlecik because he was active later in the season. However, if Gonzalez is retired, Kadlecik is likely #21. If not, I think he's the odd man out.
Some of these guys were offered contracts and rejected them. The pay/structure/demands don't make sense for everyone.
Kadlecik has been relegated to 4ths this season. I'm sure he'll get another shot though next year. Although, I've been told that ideally PRO wants to be at 15 full time MLS centers as opposed to 9 full time and 12 part.
Anno is done for sure with MLS. After his mess up at New York. He is probably going down to a 4 this year. He might get some Scorpions games. Abbey is also done, so is Reyes, and so is Ramon Hernandez.
The situation is fluid and could change. I wouldn't say done for good. In the short term, I believe your info is correct.
