Who Should The Fire Draft?

[lammygeek]

P.S. - I just re-read your post lammygeek - I think I got you wrong the first time. I think you're suggesting we give up the #3 for a pair of later picks. I still would prefer not to. We don't really need quantity, IMHO - let's lock down a good defender and move on. Did I get it right this time? :D

You've got it. I see a side like LA needing O'Rourke, and they could give us the #6 or #8 overall pick plus maybe a 3rd round pick or something. You see that in the NFL draft all the time, if a team projects their target player to be available later in the draft, they trade their pick down for a later one (+ another pick, or a player or whatever) to get the full value for the higher pick.

I'm just speculating because it sounds like O'Rourke is the only stand-out that would be available at #3, and there seems to be a drop off in the expected value of ther players after him. I'm not that familiar with all the available players, particularly defenders we might be interested in. If there's a guy that fits our defensive needs that really stands out, I totally agree with you, we should snap him up. We have a lot of picks this year to speculate on some other guys. OTOH, if there's a couple guys we like about equally and we don't expect them to go quick, we might want to be open to trading down.

[lammygeek]

This is why I'm hesitant on Quavis as well. At least as a 1st or 2nd round pick. You just can't tell how good a player is when they are physically overwhelming to most of the players they play against.... I'm sure he will develop into a solid player but he is several years from becoming that (see Capano, Craig).

hear here. see also, Jaqua, Nate.

I hope we can go after some defensive and/or a-mid type help, but what we don't need is more projects. we're still waiting for players like Gray, Buete, Clanton, Griffin, Jauqa and to a lesser extent Mapp to develop into their pro game. Realistically, if we could draft one guy that can step in at the level Boca or Jimmy have and become productive quickly, I think this will be a good draft for us. It doesn't sound like we'll be getting an a-mid to fit that bill, so hopefully that's where the allocations get spent.

[Bob Morocco]

The question is who wants O'Rourke badly enough to trade us a first round pick and at least a third? RSL will take Besagno? or some other p-40 kid, Chivas are going to take a Mexican, then us, then the Burn take Watson, then SJ who could use help up top so Pore or Barrett, then the Galaxy who could take O'Rourke here, then Colorado who need a forward, then the Galaxy again, then NE who would take a defender we want, then us. The Galaxy probably want a forward with Ruiz and Ngwenya looking iffy to be there and after that would probably want a defender with Broome and Saurez iffy. But I can see Sampson wanting O'Rourke and if he does we trade our third for their sixth and Ned. The thing is I see the draft going like this with no trades. Also I saw on 3rddegree that Christian Jiminez is listed so Chivas could go for him.

1 Besagno
2. Mexican/Jiminez
3. Moor/Freeman
4. Watson
5. Pore
6. O'Rourke
7. Drew McCathy/Cameron?/Barrett
8. Barrett/Moor/Freeman/Cameron?
9. Moor/Freeman/Klass
10. Moor/Freeman/Klass/Kirk
11. Leftovers
12. Who even has this pick?

I don't see a scenario that would help the Fire to trade the third pick because the most likely teams to want either could get him at #6 or couldn't give us anything in a trade. Hopefully Peter can find out a way to make it work.

[Saeyddthe]

I have to admit, I'm far more interested in the allocations this year...

I know it's irrational, but it feels like we've been hoarding them for some reason, and now we get to spend spend spend! (teehee)

[Bob Morocco]

hear here. see also, Jaqua, Nate.

I hope we can go after some defensive and/or a-mid type help, but what we don't need is more projects. we're still waiting for players like Gray, Buete, Clanton, Griffin, Jauqa and to a lesser extent Mapp to develop into their pro game. Realistically, if we could draft one guy that can step in at the level Boca or Jimmy have and become productive quickly, I think this will be a good draft for us. It doesn't sound like we'll be getting an a-mid to fit that bill, so hopefully that's where the allocations get spent.
Kirk at #3 or even #10 would be a gamble but at #18 or #19 he's a no-brainer.

If we get Thorrington, Cabellero, and maybe Yi from allocations that could really turn us around and If we also mix in 2/3's of Moor/Freeman/Klass and Kirk and another good player we will have the depth and talent to go for the treble again.

[Saeyddthe]

Also I saw on 3rddegree that Christian Jiminez is listed so Chivas could go for him.

1 Besagno
2. Mexican/Jiminez
3. Moor/Freeman

That's too bad, I really like Jimenez. I think I've mentioned that at least a dozen times over the past year and a half... He's got a suh-weet left peg for a kid...

[Bob Morocco]

That's too bad, I really like Jimenez. I think I've mentioned that at least a dozen times over the past year and a half... He's got a suh-weet left peg for a kid...
I didn't know he was coming out until last night when I checked 3rddegree so maybe he isn't coming out but I would assume that if he does and Chivas can take him they would. If he has signed and he falls to us it does make the draft much more interesting and I wouldn't envy Peter and Dave's position of having to pass on all but one of Moor/Freeman/Jiminez/O'Rourke but maybe the Galaxy or NE would want him and we could squeeze every last penny out of them for him and still get Moor or Freeman.

[lammygeek]

The question is who wants O'Rourke badly enough to trade us a first round pick and at least a third? .....

Thanks for the analysis, it's helpful to hear from you guys that know more about the players that are available. Just don't count out the 'chan factor. Remember the 1st round of the last two drafts left a lot of us scratching our heads, wondering first 'Nate who?' and then 'Scott who?'. Don't be too suprised if we make some wacky pick for a guy that no one seems to have a picture of when it's our turn with #3 or #10.

[Saeyddthe]

I didn't know he was coming out until last night when I checked 3rddegree so maybe he isn't coming out but I would assume that if he does and Chivas can take him they would. If he has signed and he falls to us it does make the draft much more interesting and I wouldn't envy Peter and Dave's position of having to pass on all but one of Moor/Freeman/Jiminez/O'Rourke but maybe the Galaxy or NE would want him and we could squeeze every last penny out of them for him and still get Moor or Freeman.
I don't envy P&D one bit. None of the obvious picks play in the right position for us...
Personally, I'd like to draft Jimenez, and trade Mapp back to Metro for Rico... But that's just in my little world. :)

[bing1985]

So - I'm wondering. Is there an MLS team overstocked with defenders the way we seem to be with d-mids? The follow-up question is: Would it make sense to take O'Rourke at #3 and then package a surplus (Buete, Pause, Marsch...) maybe with an attacker (Razov, Bucky or Nate) and try and trade into a tested, veteren defender from another club? In a way this goes to the "best available athelete" strategy that has worked so famously for other Chicago franchises - :rolleyes: But I'm bored, and I don't want to work today, so I ask the question.

[Bob Morocco]

Thanks for the analysis, it's helpful to hear from you guys that know more about the players that are available. Just don't count out the 'chan factor. Remember the 1st round of the last two drafts left a lot of us scratching our heads, wondering first 'Nate who?' and then 'Scott who?'. Don't be too suprised if we make some wacky pick for a guy that no one seems to have a picture of when it's our turn with #3 or #10.
If #3 isn't Jiminez/Moor/Freeman/O'Rourke I would be very surprised but #10 could go somewhere weird.

Combine report
http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=518
the gist is Jiminez is great and Kirk is the next Eddie Johnson.

[Khan]

Is anyone here familiar with Notre Dame defender Jack Stewart?

Apparently, he wants to be drafted by the Fire:

Rain washes away the value of MLS Combine in Carson (http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/1340726.html)

Is he worth a pick?

[willydonc]

Is anyone here familiar with Notre Dame defender Jack Stewart?

Apparently, he wants to be drafted by the Fire:

Rain washes away the value of MLS Combine in Carson (http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/1340726.html)

Is he worth a pick? He's considered one of the top 2-3 center backs. Unfortunately for him it's not a position of need with the likes of Curtin, Brown, Gray, Clanton & Griffin around & Caballero on the horizon.

[Khan]

Thanks for the info, but I thought Caballero and Clanton are strictly fullbacks rather than central defenders.

[Bob Morocco]

Thanks for the info, but I thought Caballero and Clanton are strictly fullbacks rather than central defenders.
Looks like we might give Razov to Cowlumbus for Sanneh. Assuming we get Caballero also, that puts us drafting Moor or Freeman at #3 a little in doubt. It also looks like the Galaxy have moved up to #5 probably for O'Rourke or Watson or Barrett. I hope Chivas lite doesn't pick Jiminez and we get the Eddie Gaven, Freddy Adu, hands off hometown boy special on Kirk so that he falls to #18. I predict that our first pick will be one of Jiminez/Freeman/Moor/O'Rourke.

[kebzach]

He's considered one of the top 2-3 center backs. Unfortunately for him it's not a position of need with the likes of Curtin, Brown, Gray, Clanton & Griffin around & Caballero on the horizon.

Marc Connelly at ESPN has the Fire taking Stewart at #3 in his mock draft, although that may have been before we decided to trade Ante for someone's grandfather.

[jjayg]

Marc Connelly at ESPN has the Fire taking Stewart at #3 in his mock draft, although that may have been before we decided to trade Ante for someone's grandfather.
Sanneh and Razov are the same age. Guess that makes Ante somebodies grandfather too.

[kebzach]

Sanneh and Razov are the same age. Guess that makes Ante somebodies grandfather too.

Sanneh was born on June 1, 1971-- he turns 34 this summer, and he's been injured once for every year he's been on this earth.

Ante was born on March 2, 1974-- he turns 31 in 2 months.

[jjayg]

My bad. I thought Sanneh was born in 73 for some reason.

I wouldn't call Razov an Iron man either though.

[murtaugh29]

I think it is honestly sad that we can say we will be a better team w/o Razov. fans here have had a love/hate relationship but the fact it is coming to where we're even speculating on this deal really stinks.

I'd love to see Razov maybe go overseas to Croatia or maybe Mexico. Having him still in the east is no good.