In-Season Player Rumors & Movement 2011 [PT 1]

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

I think that the discovery claim issue for Philly is not perhaps as dire as it may seem. MLS is famous for not being perfectly clear in terms of the rules under which teams operate - it is getting better but not as good as it should be. I am sure that there are some guidelines from the league for teams in terms of who can/can not be on the off-budget roster based on age, salary and perhaps seasons of pro experience - as of now, the rule focus is on minimum salary amounts based on age and not much more than that rule.

Here is what we know per MLS and its team press releases:
1. Discovery claims are to be used only on Salary Budget players.

(E) DISCOVERY SIGNINGS

Clubs may make discovery claims on players not yet under MLS contract who are not subject to the allocation ranking or lottery mechanisms.

Each club has the opportunity to make six discovery signings per season (expansion teams may make 10 discovery signings in their inaugural season). A club may have up to 10 discovery claims on unsigned players at any time and may remove or add players at any time. The last day for discovery player signings is September 15, 2011 – coinciding with the roster freeze date and trade deadline.

The six discovery signings can be used to fill senior roster spots only. If multiple clubs claim the same player using a discovery, the club that filed the claim first will have first rights to the player. Discovery claims expire following each season. If the League and player are unable to reach an agreement during the season, the club that first filed the discovery retains the right of first refusal in the event the player is later signed by the League.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/2011-mls-roster-rules

2. Players Other Than Draft Picks, HG, GA Lottery Are Making Their Way on to Off-Budget Rosters

Examples already include:
* 2010 D2 Players
- Alec Dufty - G - Chicago Fire [24 year old - played with AC St. Louis last season]
“We didn’t want three keepers on the senior roster,” Klopas added. “So it’s nice that his age makes him eligible for a [off-budget roster] spot.”

- Rodrigo Lopez - M - Portland Timbers [23 year old - played with Portland last season]
The Portland Timbers announced today that they have signed midfielder Rodrigo Lopez, defender Chris Taylor and forward Spencer Thompson, who will all be on the club’s off-budget roster.

* Undrafted 2011 Rookies
- Alex Riggs -G - Columbus Crew [23 year old - played with Missouri State last season]
It was reported that he would take an off-budget spot as the Crew already have goalies (Will Hesmer and Andy Greunebaum) on the Salary Budget roster.

The MLS roster rules do not state how these off-budget "free agent" players are making their way on to off-budget rosters but they getting there - seemingly without a discovery claim. In previous seasons, non-GA/HG players had some or no form of guaranteed contracts so they could be added and dropped without too much issue.

In terms of Philly, the Off-Budget roster candidates (I list 12 - can only be 10 on the actual roster and the others would be on the Salary Budget roster) seem like:

GA - MacMath, Okugo, McInerney, Mwanga
HG - Pfeffer
Others - Richter, Houapeu, Holder, Agorsor, G. Farfan, M. Farfan, Daniel

M. Farfan signed a MLS contract prior to the SuperDraft so there may have been a clause in that contract that gave him a Salary Budget roster spot with perhaps more guarantees than an Off-Budget non-GA/HG roster spot. Daniel is likely making more than the Salary Budget minimum contract and given his pro experience, I doubt that he could be on the Off-Budget roster but again the rules are not very clear.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Trade for Robbie Rogers? Mapp has been a "trouble" on other teams but Nowak has gotten him to play well here, what if we take a flyer on a guy like Rogers?

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

I'd take a flyer on Rogers. Need more speed on the wings with the loss of Salinas, and he's got decent size.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Don't they both play on the left?

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Rogers is a natural LM as is Mapp but Nowak typically switches his RM and LM during the course of every game - in fact Le Toux played more LM than Mapp did against Houston.

Rogers is still young (23), not terribly expensive ($115K) and was Nowak's starting LM in the 2008 Olympics - he assumedly would knock Keon Daniel further down the depth chart. He has more experience than the other outside mid depth options (Torres, G. Farfan) who dressed for the Houston game. On the other hand, he did not done much last season and his 2009 season was not so great either.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Rogers has played on the right for the Nats

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

If Pires comes to MLS, I say we take up a collection to finance the Union signing Toni Stahl as a DP for one game (paid for by the fans) to break Pires in half.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

yes please

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

lets see 335,000 for DP money IIRC and 18,500 fans in a sold out stadium plus some outsiders who may want to watch comes to less than $18 a person. Lets do it!

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Yes. And then we really hurt him.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

I agree that neither of those players seems like a fit for Philly. Chara could be Portland-bound (same team as former Tolima teammate Perlaza) given that team's weak midfield and decent amount of expansion allocation $$ still available. Koke would be more likely a target for the numerous teams (i.e. Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Chivas) being mentioned as possibly adding to their forward ranks.

Barring long-term injuries to key players, I would not expect much on the player acquisition front for Philly during the season - perhaps just add some more young depth on the backline (preferably a versatile defender who could play CB as well as RB and/or LB) as you mentioned to go along with the midfield/forward converts back there like the Farfans, Richter and perhaps Okugo.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

The Timbers have announced they've signed Chara as a DP.

http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news...go-chará-first-designated-player-club-history

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Lol.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

So that's two Tolima players that Portland has now snagged.

I thought Diego Gutierrez had dibs on Colombia!

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

any chance the Union could sign a CAM?

*it's the 1 piece they're missing...........any way to get Riquelme's phone # to Diego?

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

This is more of an off-season rumor, but it is interesting nonetheless.

This is from an interview from FutbolMLS.com with Barros Schelotto (translation done by BorrachoNJ).

Did you have options to return to MLS?
* Chivas USA and the Union contacted me but I would have had to wait until Feb and I had to give my answer to Gimnasia at the beginning of Jan.

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

Philly seemingly did some due diligence about bringing in a veteran playmaker to play in the attacking midfielder/withdrawn striker role given this news about Schelotto as well as pursuit of Marek Mintal (debatable if they were ever after Tressor Moreno who also plays that role).

 

Re: In-Season Trade and Acquisition Rumors 2011

I'm sure they still are and we'll hear more rumors this summer.

Of course, best case scenario is the mix of players we have now works itself out and starts pumping out goals.

 

Another Cafetero maybe?

Looks like another good (and young, as in 19-20 years old) Colombian may be coming to MLS if they can get him in before the deadline:

Andres Ramiro Escobar (aka 'Manga')

Deportivo Cali (and the rest of the Colombian league) seems to be in pretty bad financial situation right now.

No real solid word on what teams are interested, but Philly is mentioned in at least one of these articles.

http://www.futbolred.com/camerinos/andres-manga-escobar-seria-vendido-a-la-mls/9170442
(translated)

http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/deportes/antes-del-viernes-define-negocio-manga-para-mls
(translated)