[Coach_Barry]

I saw this conversation start on another thread and I thought it deserved its own thread.

The next big event in the Revs future is the expansion draft. If the rules remain the same as last year, the Revs can protect 11 players. Three of them have to be internationals. GA's that don't graduate don't have to be protected.

I would protect the starting 11 from our last game with the exception of Castro for Osei.

Reis
Barnes
Alston (will graduate from GA)
Heaps
Joseph
Larentowicz
Castro
Mansally
Nyassi
Jankauskas
Dube

I am not interested in protecting any injury related question marks (Twellman, Ralston, Badilla) or works in progress (Videira, Thompson, Tierney, the list is long). I really don't see an expansion team taking a flyer on Twellman or Ralston coming back so I feel pretty good about leaving them exposed. If Twellman looks certain to return, the keep him and expose Dube. I think Jankauskas deserves another year (at least the off-season) with a decent partner to see if he can get/stay healthy and fit and contribute.
Alston has shown himself to be Albright's replacement so I don't feel like protecting Albright is essential. Albright is from Philadelphia and may be the most tempting of our entire roster for them.
If Larentowicz is pulling a Dempsey and has decided not to re-sign, then expose him and protect Ralston.

That's how I feel today.

[Revs in 2010]

Originally Posted by Coach_Barry

I saw this conversation start on another thread and I thought it deserved its own thread.

The next big event in the Revs future is the expansion draft. If the rules remain the same as last year, the Revs can protect 11 players. Three of them have to be internationals. GA's that don't graduate don't have to be protected.

I would protect the starting 11 from our last game with the exception of Castro for Osei.


Reis
Barnes
Alston (will graduate from GA)
Heaps
Joseph
Larentowicz
Castro
Mansally
Nyassi
Jankauskas
Dube


I am not interested in protecting any injury related question marks (Twellman, Ralston, Badilla) or works in progress (Videira, Thompson, Tierney, the list is long). I really don't see an expansion team taking a flyer on Twellman or Ralston coming back so I feel pretty good about leaving them exposed. If Twellman looks certain to return, the keep him and expose Dube. I think Jankauskas deserves another year (at least the off-season) with a decent partner to see if he can get/stay healthy and fit and contribute.
Alston has shown himself to be Albright's replacement so I don't feel like protecting Albright is essential. Albright is from Philadelphia and may be the most tempting of our entire roster for them.
If Larentowicz is pulling a Dempsey and has decided not to re-sign, then expose him and protect Ralston.

That's how I feel today.

I have a few differences of opinion. I'd absolutely protect Osei, as he's one of those relative bargain players that you have to have to complete a roster under the cap. Even if Twellman is 50-50, I think you have to protect him. Given EJ age and salary, I don't think you need to protect him. Ralston, on the other had could end up being this year's Okaroh (if nothing else, I'd think he's a great guy to have around a new or rebuilding team, given his skills and personality). Here's my 11


Reis
Barnes
Osei
Alston
Joseph
Larentowicz (If there's a chance he'll sign)
Castro (of course, assuming he's not banned for life)
Mansally
Nyassi
Ralston (If he indicates he's coming back)
Dube

I've actually got no idea who else I'd protect if the two real question marks on the list aren't coming back, maybe Assengue if SN really sees potential.

Can someone please put a "This space available" or "For Sale" sign on Wells?

[johnh00]

Is Osei coming back? I thought he was on loan. Larentowicz won't be back. He let his contract play out for a reason - he'll be making 2x as much money as he would here playing in Europe next season. There's no point in protecting EJ, either. I can't imagine anyone willing to pay him big $ giving his injury issues. I can't see both Castro and Mansally being protected. With Larentowicz leaving, they will have to protect Phelan. Injury issues aside, I'm guessing Twellman and Ralston will also be protected.

Reis
Barnes
Alston (will graduate from GA)
Heaps
Joseph
Mansally
Nyassi
Dube
Twellman
Ralston
Phelan

[Coach_Barry]

I think the expansion draft strategy is as much about protecting players you don't want to lose as it is about exposing players that you don't think Philadelphia would want.

I wouldn't want to see Twellman or Ralston in a Philadelphia jersey, but I don't think an expansion team would take a chance on either of them not playing for most or all of next season. Kyle McCarthy reported on the RevsNet show that he talked to Ralston and he is going to try to come back. It didn't sound super optimistic. If his surgery is soon, April is 6 months later and he could be ready to go in the early part of the season.

I think I just talked myself into swapping Jankauskas and Ralston on my protect list.

Osei reminds me too much of Rusty Pierce. I would like to think that we have moved past 1 dimensional defenders.

[johnh00]

Originally Posted by Coach_Barry

I think the expansion draft strategy is as much about protecting players you don't want to lose as it is about exposing players that you don't think Philadelphia would want.

I wouldn't want to see Twellman or Ralston in a Philadelphia jersey, but I don't think an expansion team would take a chance on either of them not playing for most or all of next season. Kyle McCarthy reported on the RevsNet show that he talked to Ralston and he is going to try to come back. It didn't sound super optimistic. If his surgery is soon, April is 6 months later and he could be ready to go in the early part of the season.

I think I just talked myself into swapping Jankauskas and Ralston on my protect list.

Osei reminds me too much of Rusty Pierce. I would like to think that we have moved past 1 dimensional defenders.

I agree about Twellman and Ralson...I'm just not sure who else you bother protecting. As it is, I'm not sure any of the Mansally/Castro/Thompson/Tierney monster that played left-mid will be back next year. I picked Mansally to protect as he was the most likely to be back. Who else played significant minutes that you would protect? Igwe, Videira and Colaluca are the next on the list in minutes played. It's kind of a sign of how thin this lineup was that we're talking about protecting some of these guys.

[firstshirt]

Originally Posted by johnh00

Larentowicz won't be back. He let his contract play out for a reason - he'll be making 2x as much money as he would here playing in Europe next season.

So you think jeff will sign overseas for 70k?

[MarkyMark]

1 Reis
2 Alston
3 Barnes
4 Osei (he is on loan but I think they would have to protect his rights)
5 Heaps
6 Joseph
7 Larentowicz
8 Nyassi
9 Twellman
10 Castro
11 Knighton or Phelan

No point in protecting Ralston and Jankauskas because their age and injuries should prevent them from being signed. Dube and Mansally are the kind of players you look to replace rather than build upon.

[ftruscot]

Reis
Barnes
Alston
Joseph
Twellman
Mansally
Nyassi
Dube
Phelan
Castro
Larentowicz

If I'm convinced Larentowicz is unsignable, I toss a coin between Igwe and Videira (assuming Igwe graduates GA because of age/years) and protect the winner.

If we lose one of Heaps, Osei, Badilla, Albright, or Igwe, we can still put a respectable defense out there. Might save us some money, too.

I don't think Ralston or Jankauskas will be tempting to Philly because of age and injury, Assengue (if he will become something special) is too unknown a quantity and too raw for an expansion side. The rest are not distinguished enough to be coveted nor to be missed terribly if they are taken.

Even with injury concerns, you have to protect Twellman, unless you are 100% sure he's done for good. 100+ MLS goal scorers are rare and might be worth the gamble for Philly and would be a PR nightmare for the Revs were he to play again. And really, would protecting a Videira, Igwe, Osei, Badilla, Albright, Jankauskas, Heaps, etc... be worth the risk?

[Soccer Doc]

I read somewhere that players with "season ending injuries" are exempt from the draft. For sure that exempts Twellman and I think will also apply to Ralston.

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Soccer Doc

I read somewhere that players with "season ending injuries" are exempt from the draft. For sure that exempts Twellman and I think will also apply to Ralston.

Désolé

I thought you were the one who always looked on the bright side of things.