Anticipating the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft [Part 1]

I won’t pretend to be an expert on the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft and tout all the inner workings of protected versus unprotected players, members of Generation Adidas (GA), the developmental roster, etc. I will, however, attempt to predict who I feel will be picked up by the Union by using the SWAG Method (that’s Scientific Wild Ass Guess in case you didn’t know). In a couple weeks’ time the roster will begin to take shape and we can start discussing the pros and cons of who the Union will be fielding in its inaugural season.

But I digress … looking at the rules for the 2008 Expansion Draft, I will assume the same will apply this time. A brief overview of the important rules, in my opinion, is as follows:

• All teams submit lists of protected players to the League by 3 PM ET on Monday, Nov. 23rd.
• The Expansion Draft will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 25th.
• Results will be posted to MLSnet.com at that time.
• Teams may protect 11 players between their senior and developmental rosters.
• GA players who have not graduated at the end of the ‘09 season are exempt.
• Developmental Roster players (other than the GA players above) will be part of the Expansion Draft.
• A team may make available their total number of international players minus 3.
• Unless a Designated Player (DP) has a no trade clause, he does not have to be protected.
• A team may lose no more than one (1) player from its non-protected roster.
• The Expansion Draft will consist of 10 rounds.

Expect to see my team-by-team analysis of the Eastern Conference [Part 2] and Western Conference [Part 3] in the coming days. I’m curious to see how my predictions pan out. And depending on how this goes, I’ll then do my best to read the tea leaves and touch upon the Union and its participation in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.

Category: 2009 MLS Expansion Draft