12/17/02: Deals

On the surface that trade doesn't look very good for DC at all, especially with Petke coming off his worst season, but if they can cut 600k in salary that can only be good. Haven't talks about this trade been going on for weeks though?

 

I have now lost ALL confidence in Ray Hudson and his management team in terms of player evaluations.

Bring back Wrongen!

 

Richie Williams needs a new nicname- "ping pong ball"? Or what is the name of the air shuttle that goes between DC and NY?

 

I don't know what the shuttle is called, but it makes me think of another very appropriate new nickname for Richie Williams from Badminton: "ShuttleCOCK".

 

Because requesting Petke instead of Jolley is stupid.

Stay with me, I may talk about actual strategy and formations here for a minute...

Hudson wants to employ a 3-5-2 system, much like we used towards the end of the season when we actually won a game or two.
Jolley is a much, much better player in a 3 man backline than Petke is. Petke's strengths are in man-marking, not in playing a zonal defense.
Think back to the Metros defense last year (3 man backline) and 2 years ago (4 man backline).

Petke was much more effective in the 4 man backline as a flank back where all he had to worry about was shutting down 1 player, which he did well.
However, move him to the 3 man backline and he was average at best. Jolley was better.

Jolley and Petke now make the same amount of money, and if Hudson is putting together a 3 man backline, I'd rather have the better player (Jolley) than Petke.
Even if Hudson were playing a 4 man backline, we already have Reyes to play right back.

Losing Pope and Moreno is not what upsets me, they are cap casualties, its going after a player who doesn't fit your system.

Just like last year in the draft, Hudson selects a 17 yr old left midfielder (Mapp) when he has been on record saying he doesn't think that our 18 yr old left midfielder (Convey) can play the middle.

Then... he selects Kante with a 1st round pick! After selecting him in the 6th round the year before... I don't think he got 5 rounds better after another year at Florida Atlantic University.
And on top of that, we don't agree to terms with Kante and let him go for free, and then winds up in NE and plays well.

Next... He selects Mike McGinty in the 2nd round. McGinty announced before the draft that he would only sign with MLS if he could play in DC. (His wife is in grad school at UVa and didn't want to move away from her.) Ok, why waste a 2nd round pick on a player who says they will only play for your team???

Finally, Lazo Alavanja, Richie Williams (v 2.0), and Roy Lassiter.

 

Wouldn't that trade create salary cap problems for NY/NJ? Moreno, Pope at nearly 1/3rd of the cap. How much does Mathis make? Howard set to be the highest paid goalie in the league? And what about Balboa? Jolley now makes $120K a year. Can someone please clarify?

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/2002/year/stories/2/


year in sports review

 

But the NY Times article above says Howard will be highest paid MLS goalie, above fat tony. So at least $250K there. What about Mathis - his contract wasn't renegotiated I guess so maybe he doesn't make the max.

 

Almost got chills reading that.

Okay, I'm a sentimentalist. Sue me...

 

The league office uses "special math" to calculate salary cap figures for LA and NY.

 

I guess when Hudson said he would be ruthless, he wasn't kidding.

I don't know - I like Petke. I'd give him the nod over Jolley. He's still young and his best soccer could still be ahead of him. As much time as Pope has missed lately from injuries I can see why this trade would make sense.

And if Hudson could get his hands on Graziani and land a couple of those young players he likes - this could be a pretty interesting DC team. They may still lose a lot - but they won't be dull to watch.

 

One thing I've noticed more of lately is talk of "maximum-salary" players who count $270,000 toward the cap but earn significantly more.

The article says Moreno and Pope of DC fall into this category. Presumably Mathis and Wolff as well, and now Donovan too.

I wonder how many of these type players are in the league right now?

 

Concur. Out of the blue he's become one of MLS' best reporters.

It's pretty amazing Golden Boy is taking about a $1 million pay cut to stay with MLS. Maybe he gets back some of that in endorsement deals, etc., but still, it's pretty clear he has other priorities.

 

You're better off continuing to post on BigSoccer 24/7. I just spent my net worth on soccer bobbleheads, the Nats behind the scenes DVD and other soccer paraphernalia.

 

Let's just assume that when the NY Times reports that Howard "is close to signing a contract extension with Major League Soccer that would make him the league's highest-paid goalkeeper" and that "Meola makes about $250,000," they get it right and he will get that contract.

Assuming the NY Times is right and the trade is consumanted, NY will have three players eating up $790,000 worth of salary cap, and one at least with $120,000. What does Clint make and what does Balboa make? Am I missing anyone else with a high salary? Are there salary cap implications or is everyone else at NY making $24K a year? Can anyone from NY help?

 

Balboa was at or near the max but his contract is up.

Clint is making around $200k.