Final 2013 Combine selection evaluation of Rapids choices: IMO, the Rapids did very well in the SuperDraft. I believe that they drafted 2 players that will battle for minutes this year, Brown &Powers and an incredible fast, quick athlete in Kindle. Without casting aspersions I would have gone in another direction but I understand that is only my preference and opinion and Bravo & Pareja may have gotten it right and in a better direction than I would have chosen. Since several excellent choices existed at # 6, I would have selected *Zimmerman or Zavaleta both GA's, both CB’s rather than Brown. While I do believe in selecting the best available player one could argue for any of the three as being that player. By selecting Zimmerman or Zavaleta I would not have violated that concept while also selected for a position of need? Both players are big & strong. Zavaleta is an “internationally experience, technically sound & savvy CB. Either player would vie for minutes this season and upgrade the defense for the future. The Rapids, by not trading up, still availed themselves of Zimmerman &/or Zavaleta while saving a player, a draft choice, allocation money &/or an International slot. Well done, except one of these players should have been selected. Indeed, the availability of 1 or both of these players likely accounted for the Rapids timeout prior to selecting #6. To make sense, Brown’s selection can only pre-sage a Rapids trade or signing of a CB from some source other than the SuperDraft. Brown was a real handful for CB’s at the Combine. He is big, strong, fast and moderately quick. However, on Tuesday at RW & LW he was no longer dangerous. While his speed suggests that he can play wide his major asset, his physicality, was neutralized out of the middle. At # 11 I, too, would have selected Powers who I believe was, along with Bekker, the most MLS ready CM in the draft, good size, strong, technical, adequate speed, a ball winner with a well developed 1-touch game. Moreover, he is a “box to box” midfielder who would be a perfect link between Rivero & Thomas. Any “lack of speed” of which he is accused will be mitigated by an athletic & energetic Thomas. At #25 Kindle may be a great choice but my 2nd one. At the combine I was quite impressed with U. of Washington CB Tucker-Gangnes; a big, strong, savvy back good passer that I think makes a roster and may even battle for minutes this year. He lacks great speed but his sense of the game and his positioning kept him from ever being beaten at the Combine. I must add that he had the advantage of pairing with Farrell on 2 of the 3 days which may have been deceiving. While I would grade my choices an A, I would give Bravo & Pareja at least an A-. * My opinion of Zimmerman is not my own as I have never seen him, but based on the opinions of most scouting reports, “experts”, etc. Pre-Combine many had him going at #1. Missing the Combine hurt his draft status.
Given how Zimmerman and Zavaleta were both so well-reviewed, I wonder what happened here. I wonder if the team thinks that other things being equal, its easier to pickup a solid centerback through trade or transfer than it is for a decent forward. However, others have wondered whether they were confident one of the CB's would slip through to #11. It almost happened.
Speculation but I bet Zavaleta was our second pick and when Seattle traded up, they "stole" him out from underneath us
again in away i'm glad we didn't grab either center back. i don't want drew moor or wynne teaching center back thats not there natural spot it's very apparent in the leaky defense we have had. sign a solid 6'3 center back that's on a higher level then most mls team's on the cheap. draft a rookie have a big teach a big.
You keep claiming Drew Moor isn't a natural center back, why? Because on a recent version of FIFA has was listed as a wingback? Pareja would disagree with you: http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_20376869/rapids-coach-oscar-pareja-moves-drew-moor-around He's played a bit of wingback at the Nats level but I believe in MLS he's always been a center back.
Seems most here don't consider Diego Calderon as the CB help, he started on some very accomplished LD Quito teams.
I'm thinking that Calderon is expected to be a LB, but can play CB in case of injury or poor performance.
Pareja just said on the radio that they're still looking for another full back. And on the same radio show, Deshorn Brown, in response to being asked if he plays defense, answered "Of course, you have to. If we don't play defense, we lose." That's a good sign, at least to me.
Quality depth is always nice. Right now we can probably put out a respectable starting four back there but what happens when one of drew, Marvell, or Diego gets hurt or when two of them get hurt? That's why I would have liked them to get Zimmerman or Zavaleta. Oh and both of them are tall. Right now we are very short back there when we face a team like San Jose.
Well, Supplemental draft is tomorrow. We have 4 picks I think, but none in first round- used for Buddle, maybe 1-2 guys will stick?
correct me if i'm wrong but moor in dallas was a lb rb roll type player. wasn't till we got him till he started playing center back? but to me his a center back but his not played it his entire life. still i think klute might sneak in at center back guy reminds me of chris smalling so much.
Was this on Mile High Sports? Any idea if that segment is available to download, archived somewhere? Also, there was a Marcelo Balboa-hosted radio show called "From the Pitch" that was also made available as a podcast for a while-- and then the podcast sort of disappeared. Does anyone know if that's going to come back?
Yes-- just figured that out. And I found a link, too: http://milehighsports.com/radio/weekend-shows/from-the-pitch/ But the podcast still cannot be found (by me anyway) on iTunes.
I have failed in finding a complete Supplemental Draft List can you help. I understand that the undrafted players fall into this category but who else. BTW, 2 very good undrafted players will be available tomorrow. They are Isern a 25 y/o Spanish "box to box" midfielder with very good technique, tactical sense and work rate & Pinhu 21 y/o Brazilian, a tall, fast, technical, LW. I thought that they were both top 20 players who would be hurt due to their International status. Since we have so few International slots available I would pass on both but would not be surprised to see each drafted early.
Do you base this comparison on something more than the 90 minutes against Houston's reserve team last season?
He seems like more of a replacement for Casey given Marx's description of this strength and ability to hold on to the ball. But I guess I should not be surprised if Ives sees the Jamaica link and automatically links him up with Cummings. Does Powers have red hair?
I also like how Ives complimented them for not trading up for Zimmerman without mentioning they still had a chance to get him but passed.
I listened to Ives post draft podcast and he is very, very complimantory toward Rapid draft, all 3 picks and Serna signing in fact. Not sure what happened so my guess is the Sky completely falls sometime in next 45 days.
Brown is big, tall & fast. He can play with the ball to his feet or in space. Certainly some team, perhaps Rapids, requested that he play wide on last day of 2013 Combine. He was O.K. but not as dangerous as he was in the middle where his size & strength made him difficult for CB's. I would not be surprised if the Rapids try to play him wide, it may work but for me he is a striker not a wing! Ives is opinionated but not analytical, missing that the Rapids did not miss Zimmerman but passed on him is not surprising. Neither did they miss Zavaleta but also passed on him. Clearly, Bravo & Pareja either considered Brown a better player than either Zimmerman or Zavaleta or that our need at forward was greater than that at CB. Or has been mentioned, they have a line on another good CB or a CB is easier to find than a Forward. I would have chosen a CB. Only time will show the true value of each player. It is rumored that Powers is currently consulting a hairstylist! Although Irish, & Fighting Irish at that, he does not have a redhead's complexion!