So, since the Uniteds are joining the league in 2017 I am assuming another Expansion Draft is on the way, with similar rules. Time to play GM. Who would you protect? Who would you put on the block? Who would you try and work a trade with prior to the draft to attempt to salvage something? I know this may be a bit early, but if there is anything we on this board have, it is a lot of opinion. Also, I just wanted to start a new thread
OK - I will give this a shot first. If RSL's season ended today, this is my breakdown: Automatically Protected: (this isn't a bad group of homegrown players) - Allen (HG) - Acosta (HG) - Lalo (HG) - Glad (HG) - Kavita (HG) - Saucedo (HG) Protected 11: - Yura - Burrito - Sunny - Maund - Holness - Phillips - Rimando (I debated on this, but can't give up a legend in the American game) - Plata - Beckerman - Attinella (Rimando won't last forever, and he is more than capable, and the best option for a known quality) - Javi Next 2 (if needed) - Tony - Garcia That all being said, I would be on board with some hard decisions. I would try and rework the contracts for Javi, Beckerman, and Olave. I would shop around Javi, Plata, and maybe even Beckerman to see what can be received in return. Combine the freeing up of any of their salaries with the $300K in allocation received in the Salcedo trade and could possibly get a really good (for MLS) third MF, and possibly a decent forward that will pari well with what is currently on board.
Another expansion draft?!? It seems that we have one of these every other year. I don't know if this is an oversight or you did this on purpose, but our new Paraguayan forward, Pedro Baez isn't on your list. I agree with most everything that you have except I would maybe swap Plata with Tony or Garcia. Or maybe not. Holness is a Generation Adidas player. Is he even eligible for the expansion draft? So you have unprotected Olave, Wingert, Schuler, Mulholland, Okwuonu, Welshman, Sandoval and Sterzer (who else am I missing). From what I understand, we can loose up to two players or is it only one? Mullholland used to play for Minnesota, so we might be able to just trade him to Minnesota and be done with it.
Holness is autoprotected as a GA, I'd move Luke into his spot. I would not protect Javi, not for his age and his huge salary, I'm not sure if he'd get picked because of those two factors. If Baez looks ok I would protect him instead of Javi.
Charles posted about this on his blog. http://ccb1212.blogspot.com/ Given the exempt guys - it's pretty easy this year IMO. Charles says Omar Holness is exempt too (Generation Adidas) - so you've got at least one more spot. I'd try to trade some of the guys left hanging (particularly a GK) in this scenario. (1) GK: Rimando OR Jeff (3) Backs: Maund, Phillips, and Tony (3) Mids: Kyle, Luke, Sunny (4) Forwards: Yura, Plata, Burrito (1) Wildcard: Keeper #2, Stertzer, Olmes, Baez Hanging: Wingert, Olave, Javi, and a Keeper.
I left off Baez on purpose. I would rather protect a known product than a complete crap shoot for the league. I wouldn't think either of the incoming teams would take a chance on him. Wasn't aware Holness was GA. In past years they have been auto-protected, so I would replace Holness with Tony.
Here are my thoughts. Automatically Protected: - Allen (HG) - Acosta (HG) - Lalo (HG) - Glad (HG) - Kavita (HG) - Saucedo (HG) - Holness (HG) Unprotected: Fernandez, Lalo - safe, expansion teams need experienced goalies Garcia, Omes - could go if left unprotected but would that really be a loss? Beltran, Tony - I think RSL will protect him and I could be convinced to as well. Maybe switch with Javi, Phillips Okwuonu, Boyd - Could get picked up if left unprotected Olave, Jamison - could be tempting to an expansion team to have an experienced CB, could see RSL protecting him Sandoval, Devon - wants to be somewhere else Stertzer, John - I don't see him being picked if unprotected Welshman, Emery - not going anywhere but rehab Wingert, Chris - similar to Olave, I love players like Wingert. Can have a too many at times though. Baez, Joan - No idea Protecting (at the moment): Beckerman, Kyle - If not happy would look to trade. Don't think he is going anywhere Rimando, Nick - Absolutely keep. Legend. Stephen, Sunday - No brainer. The guy is the future of the defense Martinez, Burrito - have to protect DP Phillips, Demar - could be convinced to swap with Wingert Attinella, Jeff - better than Lalo, would get picked up if left unprotected Maund, Aaron - earned the right to be protectd Movsisyan, Yura - Love this guy, would never leave unprotected. Could see a trade to the new LA club Plata, Joao - Would look to trade, have to protect Morales, Javier - Have to protect. JK all over again Mulholland, Luke - solid, solid, solid player
The biggest debates seem to be at Right back and Keeper. Okwuonu is a good callout. He's young, has done ok with the National teams. Since our team doesn't tend to play young players other teams may see it as an opportunity to steal. I'd protect him (or just about anyone) before Javi. Beltran's a good MLS player (played quite well last week) but he's getting pricey at $260K+. If Boyd can make the leap, now might be the time to leave TB unprotected. Again, I feel awful even saying that considering how professional and dedicated Tony has been for RSL. FWIW I'd protect him and trade him if you think you have a cheaper option. If Atlanta or Minnesota want to pay $500K for Morales in his current form, let them. I love Javi...he's been a cornerstone of the franchise, but based upon performance and output he's no longer under-valued...
I wouldn't protect Javi either. He's too close to retirement, and could honestly see him just retiring if another team picked him. I doubt he'd want to either move his family for 1-2 years, or play across the country all year and have less time with them.
I'm torn on the older players. Mostly I lean toward trying to trade them and get something in return. One thing with Tony though.... The guy is durable. Has he missed any games due to injury? Can't exactly say that about the rest of the defense.
If a player is good, he should get a good salary. It is like some of you don't respect a good player. You want a good player for nothing. Beltran is a very good player and deserves all the money. What do you think will happen if if he doesn't get protected. Another team will pick him up right away and pay him good money.
You seem to ignore that there's a salary cap. You can't keep everyone on a high salary. At some point, you've either got to renegotiate some people to a slightly lower contract, get rid of them, or have a bench full of guys making the minimum, and watch the wheels fall off if any starter gets injured. It's not like there's some 50 million cap where you can more easily have a good roster from top to bottom. With the low salary cap, there's going to have to be sacrifices somewhere. You can't just keep everyone on a high contract and expect it to work out.
You have to keep churning to find the Alvas Powells. Not at every position, not constantly, but you have to refresh the roster every year. Cut cost, improve. Right Back may not be the best place to do that, but all options have to be on the table.
Doesn't Yura's loan only extend to the end of the season? With the large buyout clause, have there been any discussions of purchasing his contract? Or are you protecting him in order to keep his rights in case Spartak terminates his contract if we don't buy it out?
I am anticipating RSL buying it out. Guess I am hoping too much. Who am I kidding? ALl is well in RSL nation.
Protect Atinella before Rimando. Nicky is better than Jeff, but he's not 5x better even though his salary is 5x higher. Maybe move Rimando and try to get something for him. Javi is in a similar position, IMO. He's great, has been great, but at his current price, he's not worth protecting. See what you can get for him.
Not protecting Rimando = Rimando DEFINITELY getting selected. I can swallow the Rimando pill/salary, because he's still near the top of the league in terms of quality and as a keeper he can play for a long time. I'm going to be selfish and want him to retire in an RSL jersey as the league's greatest keeper of all time. Not protecting Morales = nobody takes on a $500k+ salary for a 36 year old player clearly in his swan song OR someone takes him and he retires because he doesn't want to uproot his family for a year before he actually does retire. I understand having Attinella as a starter quality backup and eventually Rimando is going to have to make way, but not like this.
Jeff's not there yet. The fall off in his distribution in particular has me raising eyebrows. Nick does a much better job getting us into our offense off a goal kick. Jeff's had some glaring short and to-the-other-team kicks that have burned us. As big as Jeff is I'm surprised he can't crush the ball 70 yards and just do it randomly...I'm sure they're working on that with him...right?
I'd protect both Attinella and Rimando. Rimando hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, and it's quite possible he's got 3+ years in him. Attinella would get taken, I'm sure of it. I'd much rather keep him for when Rimando retires, but if the time comes he feels like he needs to be a starter, which he's good enough to be, I'd rather get a trade fee from him. I wouldn't protect Morales, since I doubt someone takes him at his age, and it's quite possible he could retire anyway. He doesn't have much time left, and he's one of three guys I want to retire here. Rimando and KB are the other two.
I don't see either team taking Lalo, but I suppose that's possible as well. I'd rather leave him exposed though, since Attinella would be almost guaranteed to be picked up. I don't think it would be the end of the world if Lalo was picked up though.
I mean the other way around. If Lalo has progressed, then you leave Jeff A exposed and protect someone else, not that Lalo should be protected (he does not have to be).