Okay, I am going to make a hash of these rules but just to get it started: I think a team can protect 12 players, that must inclue all three 'SI' s and then can pull back a player each time one of their players is taken. That leaves how many, maybe 10 guys unprotected at the start? There is all kind of salary considerations, player contract situations, and league machinations that I am not privy to. Still I think the protected 9 are: The 3 SIs: Zizi, Spencer, and Powell. (Can you believe that salary!!) The easy picks (7) (either low salary combined with success, or star Quality: Borchers, Cila, Crawford, Ricky Lewis, Mastroeni, and Cannon, Peguero. You can protect 2 more of : Beckerman, Vallow, Chung, De la Torre, Delgado, Henderson, Kotschau, Martinez, Sullivan, Trembley. Who goes? Any way you cut it, I think we have 3 different SI players next year and lose at least 2 others in the expansion draft. Different faces next year.
You can leave 1 SI unprotected. Rapids have 4 now and I think Martinez will be 25 next season and be an SI too. Not sure if Rapids have to protect 4/5 but that very well may be the case. Cila, Sullivan, and Erush don't need protecting. Don't think we know if Lewis or Trembly will graduate p40 and need protecting. Cannon Mastroeni Borchers Kotschau Spencer (protect allocation) Crawford Peguero probably 3 of 4 remaining SIs (maybe waive them first?, will that fly) The rest, does it really matter? Will RSL or Chivas actually pick any of these players? I'd probably protect de la Torre to make Chivas fork over a draft pick for him. Might protect Lewis but not sure I want to see him starting next year. Probably protect Beckerman cause he should stay cheap and I don't mind him being on the bench, but popular opinion says he goes. Never seen Vallow play but MLS goalkeepers are a dime a dozen. Over half of the roster could go without tears, but the SI issue may restrict the Rapids to only 6 domestic players protected. p40 will come into play. Otherwise I think it's down to Kotschau vs. Beckerman. I hope Crawford is saved cause he'd be a steal for RSL. edit: It must be getting late. Can protect 2 more. Henderson and Chung have a good chance being protected. So of Beckerman, Henderson, and Chung - two will probably be protected. Not sure if any of them might be leaving and make the decision easier.
Are we forced to protect SI's that we don't want? That's kinda stinky. Protecting them doesn't actually mean we have to keep them does it? I know a lot of people will want to protect Chung and/or Henderson. Strategically I don't think it makes sense to protect players that aren't going to last much longer to begin with. If we protect one I'd go with Henderson. He may not be as big a threat as Chung is, but he's a hell of an example. When he isn't scoring he still goes out and plays hard.
I agree to take Henderson over Chung. In the playoffs Chung looked done to me. Protecting doesn't equal keeping, thankfully. That can be waived in the offseason unless they have guaranteed contracts. Then they'll have to be traded or sold to not count against the cap.
As Spencer is retiring I don't think you have to protect him or his allocation. He shouldn't be on the team roster as of the last day of the season. Leave Zizi unprotected as SLC might see him as a veteran striker who can help them start off in the league. So I'd protect: Cannon Mastroeni Borchers Kotschau Crawford Peguero Rey Ángel Martinez (SI) Darryl Powell (SI) Antonio de la Torre Chris Henderson Alberto Delgado (SI) Dev & P-40 auto protect: Lewis Jordan Cila Michael Erush Byron Foss Seth Trembly Gary Sullivan Left out in the cold: Zizi (SI) Jeff Stewart Joey DiGiamarino Mark Chung Kyle Beckerman I'm only worrid about losing Chung and Beckerman. If one of those two are picked we can protect the other one. As for trading, I think DLT will be of great interest to Chivas. I'd say trade him for a first round pick, try to get a second rounder the next year too, or something similar.
I think I'd find a way to protect Beckerman because Ellinger is the new SLC coach and wasn't he the u-23 coach that put Kyle in the center of the field. He may be willing to give up something to get him. No big deal either way though.
Martinez is not an SI currently and therefore does not fall under the SI rules. If he remains within MLS in 2005 then he will be an SI. IMO, he will be unprotected by Rapids, remain undrafted and be out of MLS in 2005.
True. So that would change my list to the following: Cannon Mastroeni Borchers Kotschau Crawford Peguero Kyle Beckerman Darryl Powell (SI) Antonio de la Torre Chris Henderson Alberto Delgado (SI) Dev & P-40 auto protect: Lewis Jordan Cila Michael Erush Byron Foss Seth Trembly Gary Sullivan Left out in the cold: Zizi (SI) Jeff Stewart Joey DiGiamarino Mark Chung Rey Ángel Martinez (TI) I'll keep Becks more based on the fact he is younger and could be trade bait with SLC, as Northcal19 said.
You don't let Chung go. You have to see what happens under a new coach. How do you replace a player like Chung? Even if he was first option off the bench, he's better than any player we're going to get in the draft.
I read in an article that SJ have to protect Donovan to keep his allocation. Not exactly the same, but I'm pretty sure he'll have to be protected (MLS contracts end Dec 31 usually)
Not true. 2005 classifications will be used. NE said they'll have to protect Baker or Brillant I think so they have to protect 4 of 5 SI's for next year.
Well that is total junk! That shouldn't be the case. Well, that throws another real wrench into the cogs. I'd put Beckerman back on the unprotected list in that case.
Now I"ll bring the facts. Why do I get corrected by statements that have no backing? http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=53598 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/10086817.htm I'll admit this article doesn't quite spell it out like I remember it. But I've read somewhere that allocations must be protected in the expansion draft. It makes sense to me but I'll admit I'm not 100% sure.
More a reference to other forums. Sorry if it came off directed against those in here. "Martinez is not an SI currently and therefore does not fall under the SI rules" I thought I had posted the opposite earlier. Found it odd that such a statement would be made as if it was fact.
I think my inclination would be to leave Henderson unprotected (or get him to retire and make him a coach/assistant coach?). I think we would almost certainly lose Beckerman (and would rather either trade him or test him under a new coach). I really question whether an expansion team is going to take a Henderson (unless you think he'd be brought in for the mysterious "veteran leadership" quality) at this point of his career, as much as we all like him.
I think if there is any possibility of real interest in De La Torre or Beckerman, or any one else by the expansion teams that you have to then protect that player and try and get a dreft pick out of them. An asset for an asset is better than no asset.
I don't think we can chance losing both Hendo and Chung. We need one of them on the field next year because I don't think the chances of replacing them in the draft or open market is that great.
Get rid of them all I say! Start new! Start Fresh! Re alocate the entire league...Move people around and get some new feeling going! Get a little blood to the legs of the league! Don't get me wrong we have some strong players...But Imagine this we hit the lottery and get Donovan along with a few other strong players I am drawing blank now...but we could end up with Yankees type team and dominate cause GOD KNOWS WE ARE DOMINATING NOTHING BUT THE BENCH AND A LEAGUE!
Do you really think we have ANY chance of getting Donovan from Leverkusen, let alone ending up like the Yank-mees?! Take a pill, man...
Sorry, trying anew cologne... Bonji, why would you rather keep Powell protected and not Zizi. INMO niether have really played, and both are dead weight, but we have more then enough defensive minded players on the team... Plus, will we be allowed to let him go since he is still injured. -just questions...
It is hard to imagine it but Pow Pow played 1013 minutes this season to Zizi's 363. Powell seems to bring more to the team when he is healthy. I'd prefer to see them both cut, but I don't see MLS trying to help the Rapids replace three SI's in one off season.
Would anyone know from experience if there would be a provision preventing a trade/release/draft of an injured player? I know we can't cut him while he is on the mend, but are the others kosher?
Since MLS doesn't usually guarentee contracts for more than a year, unless you're a Ronnie O'Brien type, a player can be waived after any season. I don't know if there is a provision for injured players. I imagine there is something as we still have Jeff Stewart.