Chacon [R]

Are you Ray Hudson's sockpuppet?

 

If Chacon was younger and cheaper, I would definitely take a flier out on him..

Unfortunately, he is neither..

Ironically though, he'll probably end up here in place of Marco if he does not re-sign at a lower salary..

 

I'd take Chacon if he was cheaper. 32? I'd take a one-season flier on him if RH can't find anyone better out there this offseason. He'd be a stop-gap measure, sure, but he sure as hell beats our last two stop-gap measures, Lassiter and Zambrano.

 

Didn't Bishop go to the Welsh League? And isn't he just a tad bit upset with MLS?

 

I was watching him when he subbed in late in the game for NE. I wasn't terribly impressed. He looked rusty - not much touch and very little anticipation. Perhaps I'd take him if he were truly cheap but I doubt he'll be truly cheap.

And, yeah, that's right about Bishop "The Whiner". He's never coming back to MLS and, frankly, good riddance. May he rot.

 

Yes, during the Gazza fiasco, there were numerous references to Bishop warning Gazza not to get fleeced by those MLS types.

He apparently was quite upset at being released after not being picked up in the dispersal draft. He feels he was owed money for some reason, I think.

 

My understanding is as follows:

1. Bishop signed a 2 year deal with MLS (making the maximum the second year). When he wasn't picked up, he sued MLS and lost. He's very bitter towards MLS, probably doesn't trust Hudson, definitely doesn't trust the league and he's now a year older and ain't getting any faster and has spent a year out of soccer. If we're going for an aging holding midfielder, Hudson will do better than that (and probably cheaper as well).

2. APC? No way! First, he spent the season on the bench for a losing side and couldn't get himself off the bench. Second, he isn't really a playmaking midfielder, he's a playmaking forward. In otherwords, he replaces Moreno. Moreno may have been dreadful this season but I'm not sure I'd argue he was worse than APC. And he's younger than APC.

If we sign APC, this has 3 implications.

First implication: we must cut either Pope, Moreno or Etcheverry.

Second implication: we didn't add a finisher (APC isn't it), a playmaking midfielder (which becomes essential if we cut Etcheverry) or a holding mid (which we all agree is a big need, especially since Williams is likely gone and therefore we need a strong force back there to help out someone like Alegria, Nelson, Namoff or another player who is not likely to be a start D-mid but someone growing into the position).

Third implication: to address those needs we'd need to cut another maximum player or two.

If there was no cap, sure I'd take a flier on APC. But there is a cap. To get better, we're going to have to clear cap room. You then use that cap room on players at key positions. APC ain't it.

Finally, we can get a better bargain. Twellman (at the minimum and in the superdraft) is an extreme case. But Reyes (at $70K) and Ruiz (far below the MLS max) are good examples. Players in Salvador and CR and Honduras get paid poorly. To come to the US is a big deal. Paychecks are regular, stadiums and fields are usually better, lots of fans and food native to their county (unless you're in KC or Columbus of course), better exchange rate (dollars go along way in Guatemala or El Salvador). And paying many of them $50K (just barely above MLS minimum) is a big pay increase for many of them. We can get good value. Hudson has shown he can scout out talent and rebuild a team (no, don't use this year as an example--he was trying to stick with the existing foundation of Moreno, Etcheverry, Conteh, Convey, Quaranta, Olsen and Lisi. Out of that bunch, Lisi and Conteh underperformed, Moreno, Quaranta and Olsen were hurt, Convey took 1/2 the season to adjust to a new coach and method, and Etcheverry was game but lame).

This time he'll clean house. I think signing APC makes sense only under the following 2 circumstances:
1. We sign a good finisher and holding mid (and schemer if we cut MAE).

Otherwise signing APC sets us back significantly b/c it makes it impossible for us to improve or upgrade at other positions--especially the ones.
2. APC takes a hefty paycut.

 

Joe's right- APC basically fills Moreno's role. It makes no sense obtaining APC without getting rid of Moreno. Thus, if the Revs for some reason can't get rid of Chacon and free up cap room, they would trade APC for Moreno in a heartbeat.

Don't do it Ray!

 

I'm about 80% sure the Revs are going to cut Chacon at the end of the season. They view him as a luxury - a player who's great to have on the field if you've already got a great team around him.

I'd drive him to DC, if Hudson wanted to trade us something for him, but I doubt that will happen. And no, I don't think they'd be interested in Moreno, either.

 

Mike Marshall is right that he'll not be with the Revs next season. Nicol wants two-way mids, and Chacon is an offense-only guy. He's not the type of attacking midfielder that Nicol likes, and he always drops back into midfield when he's a forward so he doesn't really help Twellman up top.

Also, Nicol wants target forwards so his wingers can play crosses into the box for headers. Having Ralston on the right is precisely what Nicol wants, an attacking winger that can pass, cross, hold, and make intelligent runs. In the center he wants possession and defense guys who can also create. He'd love to have a Claudio Reyna style player in that spot.

So, Chacon will be moved, by any means neccessary. The question though, is what will anyone give for him realizing that he has a high salary? I wouldn't be surprised to see Ray pick him up at a reduced salary or even have Chacon loaned out of MLS entirely. I cannot see Hudson giving much value to acquire Chacon. I see Hudson looking outside of MLS unless he can get the combo of Chacon and Serna. Package deal, all or nothing.

But I do expect Hudson to get Rooney.

-Tron