I generally agree with that list except I would keep Medranda for sure, probably for either Hassler or Smith.
Kuzain is a HGP. I'd also protect Barath. I also wouldn't protect Smith or Hasler, but you have to protect some people.
yeah, Medranda would get snapped up, I'd think, so I'd protect him over Roger and definitely over Smith.
Dang. Never thought I'd see the day we had seven HGPs on our roster. Getting hard to keep track of them all.
I am legitimately surprised Medranda is 25 yo. I thought he was on the wrong side of 30 for some reason. He was really 19 when he first played for us? Damn. Okay, yeah, Medranda over Smith, then.
At the same time we still continue to say he has potential. He's a fine depth piece but I don't think he's ever an every game starter.
I'd think we'd want to protect Barath. I'd also think that even if we want to have Roger around in 2020, we can expose him. How can we expose of protect Nemeth if he's out of contract? And can we really expose our only two strikers? I can both being snatched as bench options, so maybe protect Hurtado as a bench option ourselves? Is salloi still in the homegrown protected class? I thought that had an age limit, and he was at it (23)? Then again, so many rules about everything in MLS, maybe I'm thinking of something else. To your needs list, I'd add Barath and Ilie, just because replacing every position is impossible. Would it be a PR disaster to leave Besler unprotected? And would it work to trade Zusi and get some value from him?
We can protect/expose Nemeth because it would then become about his MLS rights. You have to expose/protect everyone that's on your roster in 2019. We can expose both forwards because only 1 player can be taken from KC, so we won't lose both even if we expose both (https://www.mlssoccer.com/media-resources/2019-expansion-draft-rules). Same link I included shows 25 for HGP players as the age, so Salloi is fine.
I mostly agree with everything here. Given that Kuzain is a HGP, I'd just slot Medranda over Espinoza in the original list that was posted. I'd like to keep Smith just because he proved to be a reasonable backup at CB. And I think we may as well accelerate the post-Espinoza period and get his wages off the books, in the event he gets taken.
Protecting Medranda would be an act of affirmation, but is there a practical value to it? He hasn't really played since either of the new clubs were announced. I mean, it's been just about two full years. From the outside, he looks like a massive injury risk. In the draft, I'd think they'd want safe bets, If we expose Zusi, I expect that will be the player we lose. He ticks all the boxes, versatile, experienced, under contract, leadership and with both his success through the years with us and his Nats time, he'd a name to excite a fan base ( even if new fans don't know him, the notation US national team veteran who played in the 2014 WC is a PR plus, as is the idea that he was on several occassions an MLS all star). He can play up front, in the midfield or at RB, and is really a great bench option for spot starting. If we keep him, I think he makes us better in 2020, not as a full time starter but more of a fireman. Still, the Zusi era is ending, and it's better to let someone go a season early than a season late.
So, reworking this list, and just tweaking in the 12 with () Homegrown Exemptions: Busio, Duke, Freeman, Hernandez, wan Kamal, Lindsey, Salloi Protected Players: 1. Russell (INT) 2. Gutierrez (INT) 3. Martins (INT) 4. Melia 5. Besler 6. Gerso 7. Zelalem 8. Ilie 9. (Medranda) 10. Hasler (INT) 11. (Barath) 12. Smith Unprotected Players: 1. Zusi 2. Feilhaber 3. Sinovic 4. Nemeth (INT) 5. (Espinoza) 6. Wallace 7. Hurtado 8. Dick 9. Zendejas 10. Fontas (INT) So while we're only possibly losing one of the unprotected players, none of them would be considered essential to our 2020 starting 11. I remove Espinoza from the protected group because i think we're well beyond peak Roger, and he's a spot starter from here on out. Up top we'd be going with: Salloi/Gerso (new striker, say Lewandowski) Russell Midfield Felipe G two from Ilie, Zelalem, wan Kamal or (new guy, say Pogba) Backline Martins Besler Barath/Smith/(new guy, say EPB or Miazga) Lindsey/Hasler Keeper Melia. Now, assuming we sigh Lewandowski and Pogba level players, that's a great lineup. If, for some odd reason, we fail to do that, we are a weaker starting 11 than started 2019. Roger and Zusi are huge losses to us, if we think about their level of play at their recent best, so 2018. We need to upgrade at least to that level. Melia 2019 was below peak Melia. Salloi was below peak Salloi, Ilie was below peak Ilie, Besler was below peak Besler. Zelalem and wan Kamal are difficult to see as strong MLS starters, but maybe they improve. We've got serious holes.
My 12 for who I think PV will protect. A couple changes from the other list. Zelalem had a minor knock but pretty much didn't play for the last 2 months of the season, I don't think he's back period at this point so I'm not sure he's protected, in his place I threw Hurtado cause I couldn't think of anyone else (that's the last change I made). Medranda is on the list mainly because while he hasn't played in 2 years, Nashville's GM was here when he had his most successful season as a professional. Hasler I left off because he's on an international and I don't see us protecting 5 of them. Smith I don't protect because he's proven time and again so far that he's just not up to MLS level. In their places I put Zusi and Espinoza because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 1. Russell (INT) 2. Gutierrez (INT) 3. Martins (INT) 4. Melia 5. Besler 6. Gerso 7. Hurtado 8. Ilie 9. Medranda 10. Zusi 11. Barath (INT) 12. Espinoza
I think you do that because you hope you can flip them for something of value to a new expansion team or something ... hate to lose them for nothing in the expansion draft when you could possibly trade them for some _AM.
Agree... I think that one would get taken. I think you at least try to get some flavor of Garber bucks for them.
No, you do that because you're Peter Vermes and these guys literally made your managerial career. I think we as fans are much more ready to move on from the core we've had for years than Pete is. I've honestly got pretty low expectations as to how much change we'll see. Some interesting stuff here: https://www.thebluetestament.com/20...kansas-city-kc-2019-20-offseason-schedule-mls
The podcast referenced above, the one with Johnny Russell on Benny and Ike and Sal's show, was interesting on Croizet. They all agreed he was not making it happen at SKC, but they also agreed that in the first months they wondered why he'd moved to MLS instead of Serie A, they said he was spectacular in practice, in the beginning.
List is out. We protected Melia, Zendejas, Smith, Besler, Zusi, Martins, Russell, Gutierrez, Hurtado, Gerso, Ilie, Espinoza. https://www.thebluetestament.com/20...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Medranda's injury history might work in our favor. Aside from that, this time around there is no one left unprotected that I will be upset if another team gets them. Buzz, how does it work when a player is out of contract but drafted here? Do they negotiate?
So Zendejas because at this point neither Miami nor Nashville have a single keeper signed ( Miami has the rights to one still playing in college)? The only surprise for me was not leaving anyone out there who would attract attention. Most likely loss would be who? Barath? Gz? Nemeth? We may not lose anyone