All 10 teams must submit their list of protected players by 5:00 pm, today. Since KC doesn't even get back until after 3:00 today, the list has already been submitted. Given the rules, here what I believe it comes down to: 1. Davy 2. Jose 3. Conrad 4. Garcia 5. Alex Z. 6. Diego G. 7. Kerry Z. 8. Wolff 9. Igor 10. Diego Walsh That leaves 2 players to be protected from the following: Preki (not likely); Klein (how bad is the injury?); Bo; Tony; Matt Taylor (yesterday didn't help his chances); Gomez and Vuk (the last have no chance to be protected) Scary stuff for team chemistry. Add to the above mix the posibility that Jose B. who is now a P40 must be protected because he will lose that status, the only 1 from the pool gets saved. Gotta save a keeper, so at risk are some big names. Fortunately our DEV and TI's are already protected. The lists will be revealed tomorrow on Mlsnet.com. Expansion on Friday. I know others will see the lists diffrently, but it will be intersting and revealing about the future the Wizards.
My dilemma is which to remove from this list: 1. Davy 2. Jose 3. Conrad 4. Garcia 5. Alex Z. 6. Diego G. 7. Kerry Z. 8. Wolff 9. Igor 10. Khari 11. Klein 12. Shavar 13. Jewsbury Diego Walsh and Taylor didn't make my list. Tony and Preki would probably retire before moving, plus Bo was a great backup. If someone picks a keeper, then I'd protect the other two.
I believe that we have to protect either Walsh or Vuk. Although I could be wrong, while the P-40's graduate, I haven't heard anything about Shavar and Khari graduating to the SI level. That said, I'd probably protect 1. Davy 2. Jose 3. Conrad 4. Garcia 5. Alex Z. 6. Diego G. 7. Kerry Z. 8. Wolff 9. Igor 10. Diego Walsh 11. Klein(even with the injury, he's come back from one ACL, he'll come back again) 12. Jewsbury (I debated him, Khari, and Shavar, if Shavar is still a TI, I decided on Jewsbury because our back 4 was solid after moving Nick to CB, I don't know if Shavar could break back in. While Khari had the one good game agaisnt SJ at home, he hasnt' shown a lot outside of that.) Now if both Shavar and Khari become SI's then I would drop Walsh and add Shavar to the list to give us depth at the back. Like I've said before, there are gonna be quality goalies available in the expansion draft. So even if Bo or Tony is taken, I think that we protect the other. That said, it would not surprise me if Bob protected one of our goalies, and the player that we could have protected with that spot will probably get chosen in the draft.
Correction: According to CJ, the list for the expansion draft is due tomorrow (tuesday) at 5:00... and the players told us that they were being informed who was on the list tomorrow during the trip home.
Here's who I'd protect: 1. Tony Meola: we could have him be starter or use him as trade bait 2. Bo Oshoniyi: (see above) he was to good to not be a starter somewhere in 2005 3. Jimmy Conrad: who knows if he'll be an elite defender again in 2005, but will at least be solid 4. Nick Garcia: good defender who has potential to be better 5. Shavar Thomas: young and could be a star someday in MLS (we need to protect at least 2 SIs; will be a SI in 2005) 6. Jose Burciagra, Jr.: young and if injuries don't kill him will be a star in MLS soon 7. Khari Stephenson: (we need to protect at least 2 SIs; will be a SI in 2005) 8. Kerry Zavagnin: to good not to protect, and if he goes to Europe we'll get his allocation 9. Diego Gutierrez: 2004 was one of his best seasons 10. Davy Arnaud: had a big breakout year 11. Josh Wolff: over came injuries to have best year ever 12. Chris Klein: let's assume his injury isn't to bad
Nope...you have to protect 2 of the following 3: Igor, Walsh or Vuk. You can only leave 1 SI unprotected. This is all too complicated the day after the Cup!
My fault, should have quoted when I talked about the players being informed on who was on the list. They told us they would be told "tomorrow (being today) on the trip home." And yes, I know the rules say 11/15 for the list... but I asked CJ twice last night about when the list was due, and both times he said Tuesday at 5:00... I asked the second time because I was trying to get clarification because I had heard the 15th for the date.
Wow, that's crap. ok, in that case I'd switch Walsh and Simutenkov for Klein (outside of pre-injury 2004 he was good, but never a great player) and Oshoniyi (maybe this run was a fluke, plus the D in front of him was great). If Stephenson really won't be a SI next year (he's Jamaican and he'll turn 24 in January so I don't get why not) then I'd leave him unprotected and keep Bo.
are you sure? new press releases say TI's will be "less than 24". this year 24 y/o's were TI's. But I'm not sure about next year.
I thought that this year if you were 24 you could be a SI. So it was 25? And they're changing the rule next year?
I wouldn't protect either goalie. Tony more then likely won't be taken, because of his max salary and the fact that he technically isn't even under contract for next year if I remember correctly. Neither Chivas or RSL is going to use a pick on a goalie making the max like Meola when there most likely will be quality keepers in the draft(Chicago has 3 keepers on their roster that have started in MLS, and Dallas is probably gonna have Garlick left unprotected). I think we can get away without protecting a goalie. And on your last post and not protecting Klein, he had obviously been good enough to garner looks from Bruce for the national team, even before this season he was looked at for the team. Hell he woulda probably been on the 2002 WC team if he hadn't torn his ACL. I'm sorry you gotta protect Klein.
it was 25. recent press releases indicate it might change to 24. i'm still searching for the final word. also unclear is that all of a sudden an article said that TI's are expansion draft exempt though those set to be SI's next year aren't
well, he's been good, but how many great seasons has he had? plus his injury. and beleive me it's a tough choice, but I don't know who else to take off. There's that ************ SI rule about only 1 can be left unprotected and we don't have the best group of SIs so some of those who we can protect are waisted. Like if Walsh werent an SI theres no way in hell he should be protected.
that's completly wrong. You're confusing the rule. You don't have protect all but one SI, you just have to protect two. And considering that all of the designations are based on next year'seligibility, the SI pool becomes: Igor, Shavar, Vuk, and Walsh. Just take a wild guess at which two of those four we'll protect. It seems prety obvious. Also, pretty much anyone who suggests that we even consider leaving Klieny unprotected a. doesn't know a thing about the game or the league b. isn't a real Wizards fan or c. is smoking some fantastic drugs.
If Shavar is an SI next year, then so is Khari, because they are both born in 81 Khari - 1-18-81 Shavar - 1-29-81 http://kc.wizards.mlsnet.com/MLS/kcw/roster/index.jsp?club=kcw
IMO, it is vital that we have Klein back next year. I think that the Wizards are at their best on the counter, and Klein plays an important role in the quickly moving the ball up the field. He was one of the few (if only) KC players who, after receiving the ball, immediately turn and run toward the opposing defense. The field really opens up for Josh and Davy when Klein is running toward the center of the defense. Then, they can make runs off the ball, rather than having to make the initial run themselves. Also, Tony is much better than Bo at starting the counter with a quick pass or throw.
Hear, hear. To leave Klein unprotected would be simply giving him away. He absolutely gets picked early by one of the expansion teams. Not only is he just plain good, he is a good 'community' guy. People love to cheer for Klein and the Wizards need as much of that as they can get. After Klein went down this team had a hard time consistently making anything happen on offense. I suspect any consideration of losing Klein is coupled with the thought that Preki will return to form in 2005. That is unlikely. He suffered an injury that has ended careers of men half his age (literally). At any rate, just wanted to chime in that Klein should be the first name on our protected list. He means to much to this club in terms of chemistry and fan support, not to mention his on-field contributions.
What does that have to do with next year? Shavar could have been DEV this year too if he had agreed to a pay cut.
My friend went to the LA game and sat next to some guy that said "I hope KC wins for Nick since its his last year" Whats that all about? Is Nick not gonna stay here in KC?
his contract is up and at the team's post-game dinner/reception I was told that the FO hadn't even talked to him, nor Meola, KZ or Jose B. all of whom's contracts are up. Meola also said that he had a bad feeling that the FO was going to dismantle the team like they did in 2001. However, you should consider the context in which Tony was talking (said this past week was his worst professional week ever)