Dynamo Contract Option Day Updates

I think our home field advantage of the long Summer heat and humidity plus a good, vibrant hinchada helps aid our bottom of the pay scale side in earning such a stellar home record last year. Of course our FO will take full advantage of what our players have accomplished by punching above their weight.
It is disheartening to hear from our FO that their goal is to cut down stadium debt at all stops over doing this AND signing at least one solid talent. Perhaps the kind of player that can immediately solve our needs at center mid or up top. To get past Seattle this new season going by what we witnessed last year.

There was the time here for pro soccer when the owners of Club America wanted to equal what Vergara had done with Chivas USA and either enter an MLS team here in Houston or purchase San Jose and move them to Houston. We used to think that such a move would be of course our Houston America team in MLS circa 2005. Luckily this did not occur.

 

Yeah for some reason, setting aside the xerox deals bringing people back, these deals for people like Alvarez and Ceren give off a 2016 vibe. Mediocre players, bad teams. I am not the world's biggest fan of some of the 2017 role player deals, Leonardo, Delagarza, etc., but they at one point were studs and at one point played on title teams. So while maybe or maybe not they have gas in the tank, etc., all the complaints I make, I do know that they understand how to win games and in theory on a fresh day can dominate. I came from winning club and HS programs and think that matters. Every day excellence demands. Assuming you should win every game no matter the opponent. Knowing how to close a game out, including the cynical stuff. I don't care if he's conference player of the year, I will stop him, you watch. When I got on college and adult teams without that sort of approach it was startling.

You bring in hustle players off marginal 6 seeds rarely in the playoffs and I double check to make sure we haven't re-signed Collen Warner. Warner didn't absolutely suck, pros rarely do (exceptions: Landin, Rocha). But I think a lot of how a MLS season goes is set in the windows by the GM and who he rosters, and it's GIGO.

More pointedly they created a hole at the playmaker slot letting Alex walk and with Sanchez likely retiring. The likely starters had something like one assist total all season. It has to come from somewhere, and another hustle player with 6 assists in 4 years doesn't fix that. I realize he's probably Alexander's competition but you look at the roster yesterday and it's not screaming we need more garbagemen. Based on that Seattle series, it's we need a Lodeiro or two, a little more class on the ball and possession in the midfield.

 

Assuming Remmick plays like he did last year, I believe he passed Beasley. Second, I think you can make the argument that Beasley provides more options off the bench that you don't get from Remick. You could arguably put Beasley at LB, RB, or left wing as a forward. Remmick is more limited.

 

I think it may very well be that he is settled here and the family wants to stay.

 

I think it could be Beasley and Remick on the outside until AJ DelaGarza proves fit

 

What bothers me is that it shows cheapness. It bothers me a lot.

FC Dallas did the same thing but with quality South Americans and supplemented it with their academy kids. Atlanta is doing it with Argentinians.

What’s next for us? Pescadito Ruiz to take up the Guatemalan roster spot? At least give me a quality Costa Rican in there (arguably the current 2nd best team in CONCACAF).

 

Reading between the lines Beasley Leonardo Senderos Machado

That somewhat explains Fuenmayor who otherwise is a headscratcher for a fourth CB option.

That's all reputation, actual play would probably put Remick and Fuenmayor on the field. Or I'd pair Machado and Fuenmayor middle and sign a RB not on crutches. How complicated is that, not signing broken players.

 

Machado at RB is not a bad idea, he plays there for Panama some. It's just we need some backline mobility and what I see them assembling is veteran but dessicated and they should know from this season the chances of arriving in the playoffs stars aligned is about nil.

 

From a PR standpoint it's we're not spending money. From an analytical standpoint we do not compete with the elite but we are doing so at the level of a midrange team but doing it on acquisition expense, and so it doesn't show up if you add salaries. In other words, we spend $7 million on Cubo which over 4 years is effectively a $1.75 million salary or signing annualized. So it's not Kaka or Giovinco but we do spend in a weird, quiet way. How much did it just cost to finalize Cabezas and Elis? To what extent do they feel duty bound by their Torres outlay?

Some of this gets back to my theory that the fee-salary disparity is what is telling. That a team that spends $2 million salary on a free gets a different player than a team that spends millions on a fee but ironically the player only merits $700k salary. I feel what we do is an odd way for a supposed budget team to burn money (acquisition costs) taking more risk on performance since the player ultimately turns out salary cheap. The fact we pay $7 million but the player earns $700k salary is a sign of inefficiency and risk.

I'd rather have the market valued player on a free than the lesser prospect where I can secure the rights by transfer or loan but at an acquisition cost.

To me they're going about it all backwards. If the idea is I am not competing with TFC on spending, then the money goes into development or signing under radar players on frees. You don't want to burn a sizeable chunk of a limited budget on securing the same team you fielded last year, or annualized transfer fees for frustrating players.

 

I’m not going to disagree with that point. That’s true.

I’m not against the Central American player, I’m against going to the same well over and over again. Shows lack of ideas and money.

 

If the FO thinks signing half of every Central American National teams is going to bring more fans they are ********ing crazy..... Mexicans follow their teams in Mexico and don't give a shit about a player like Torres who doesn't even play for Mexico anymore. They will follow their team and attend games when they play here. Hondurans and everyone else will follow suite..... it's maddening. Blanco and Marquez are the only ones that will bring people to see them because they were playing legends! Beckham was that for the English and everyone in the world because of his popularity, but the ******** never played in Houston lol!

 

In the entire history of the Houston Dynamo organization, the only thing they have ever done that shows they have ideas or money is bringing in Oliver Luck to get the stadium knocked out. That was a brilliant political move and probably cost them some money.

 

I don't think they per se believe that signing a Central American means more fans from that particular countries fan base to the Dynamo. I think they are the closest, cheapest collection of players they can afford and on the off chance they do pick up a Honduran or two who want to come and see Elis or Quito - then that is just gravy.

 

Boniek did not see a lot of minutes under Cabrera, but looked good off the bench. It seemed like Cabrera was managing an older player’s minutes a bit.

 

I see how the team does as a reality check on lineups. I used to harp on how we rarely got a result when Lopez played. We won 2 of the 12 games that Boniek started, and both were against SJ. My count, 4 T and 6 L, 10 points from 12 games. 52 minutes and no assists in the playoffs. I can remember at least twice he got dispossessed resulting in a goal. And this is a 1/3 starter.

Unlike Sanchez there was no late season uptick where you can argue that we successfully managed an older player's minutes to preserve some value down the stretch. He dressed but did not play the last 5 games and then just 2 of the 5 playoffs. At substantial salary expense.

My theory for why he is still here is Honduran morale. We wanted Elis back and at the time the decision was made that was not known. So you kiss up by bringing back a fellow Honduran. He is also presumably popular with his teammates and esteemed by the fans, though I assume the sharper ones have noted his lowered relevance. But on paper he's not worth it. I'd rather have $200k to spend on the market, if our decision didn't perhaps affect others.

 

http://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/...dan-happy-with-roster-continuity-12518830.php

"In addition to the 24 players under contract for the 2018 season, the Dynamo invited 10 players to preseason camp. They include 16-year old Dynamo Academy midfielder Marcelo Palomino, MLS SuperDraft picks Michael Nelson (goalkeeper) and Rio Grande Valley FC defender Justin Bilyeu (fullback)."

Also suggests Willis, Clark, and Sanchez may return (but Sanchez may also retire). We have rights of first refusal on Willis.

 

"If the League on behalf of an MLS club makes a genuine offer to a new player but is unable to sign him, the MLS club will have a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) in the event the player later signs with MLS. This process applies to players the league attempts to sign. If the player is subsequently signed, and the club does not exercise its ROFR, the player will be assigned via the Waiver Process unless otherwise determine by the league depending on the type of player."

I tend to think these are negotiating tactics and we want "continuity" and he wants more money. That will likely result in a belabored negotiation and him signing during camp for a bump.

Based on Willis' poor performance, if I had a say, the lake he may jump in is Conroe. He sucks. But I anticipate that this is faux smart guy moneyball tactics a la Beasley coming back every year where the GM pats himself on the back for splitting the difference and "saving money" when on performance I don't even know if what our first offer is would be worth it. You get the player on the field for the season, and not the paper savings. I don't want the player.

Would you trade for Joe Willis' rights or just wait us out and roll your dice on a game of chicken between us and waivers? I don't know if we can get anything out of an unwanted player without the risk of invoking the ROFR and getting him back. I'd think the reason to trade with us would be if there are multiple interested parties at his proposed, inflated salary demand, and you want head of the line. What are the chances of that?

You want an interesting scenario? Deric is suddenly exonerated, Willis' "leverage" disappears, and we have a choice.

 

Yeah, but if Fuenmayor is legit, we got a young option in there and Remick is still young enough.