Anyone have any word on who has won the rights to DiGi? Was Sayler also in a weighted lottery? If DiGi is healthy, It seems to me that he could help the Metros this year. I think Sayler could also help out on the left as well.
Found this today: DiGiamarino draft set for Monday. MLS will hold an MLS Lottery Draft on Monday evening to determine who will sign American Joey DiGiamarino. After a spell in Germany, the young American has signed an MLS deal that will see him go to one of MLS clubs participating in the draft. It is understood that the MetroStars and DC United are entering, with others possibly joining. The League also stated a rule that comes from this draft, as they noted: “If a team participates in the DiGiamarino lottery and receives his services from such lottery, it shall be precluded from participating in all future lotteries during the 2003 League Season irrespective of the class of player that may be made available in future lotteries. “Therefore, in the event we have a lottery for a Senior Roster player, Youth International player, Developmental player or a Project 40 player later this season, you shall not be allowed to participate in such lottery if you receive the services of DiGiamarino.” The draw will take place at 10pm UK time on Monday evening.
Thanks for the quick response. And that is one crazy rule. I think a guy like DiGi could help us now, but it would be tough to swallow if a Gregg Bernhalter or some other high calibre player joins the league and we can't even pursue him since we've already grabbed a player.
Great. Can't wait to see what happens if a team drafts DiGi and then trades him (why they would do so is anyone's guess, just speculating). MLS' scrambling to explain their rule could be amusing (although my guess is drafting=receive services). =NLK=
That's the point. You've got to decide if it's worth it to go after a middle-of-the-road guy like DiGi, who would probably be a useful player right now, or hold out in the chance that someone better comes along. The rule is designed so that there is actually something to lose by entering the lottery. As it was, anyone could enter, and if they got the player but didn't want/need him, they could usually extract a player or a draft pick from whoever really needed that guy. Now, unless you can really use him, there's no point in entering the draft. Tom
One of the messages above says it's at 10pm UK time. Normally that would be 5pm NY time, but I think Europe already switched to daylight savings time this week, which means it would be 4pm NY time.
Didn't this guy have like one good season with the Rapids and then just cruise by as an average player?
considered to be a dangerous left-sided player, his problems were nagging injuries (ankle, groin) and had played for US Nats youth teams since '95, including the u-23's and u-20's...his contract ran out with MLS and he signed a contract with leverkusen...that apparently didn't work out so well, but someone pointed out earlier that if the league signs any type of player and enters him into a lottery, the team that takes DiGi will not be allowed to enter...bob must see enough in him to "risk" that scenario, not to mention he shouldn't have a hard time winning our vacant left wing position...wish i knew more about how he's been playing this pre-season though
What's the over/under on when DC Fans and their paranoid MLS conspiracy theories will descend upon this forum?
When was the last time DiGi played? I thought he'd been injured for a couple years (like Ben Olsen). The Daily News article says he played for Leverkusen reserves last year, but I don't know if that's right.