Anticipating the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft [Part 3]
By: Andrew | November 16th, 2009
The wait is over. Here comes my highly anticipated breakdown of the Western Conference teams.
Similar to my analysis of the Eastern Conference, I’ve taken into account international and/or Designated Player status, MLS experience to-date, quality playing time (especially during the ‘09 season), contract status and current salary (where I could find that information), etc. Feel free to share your comments and let me know how you might have done things differently.
And when all is said and done, I’ll post a Part 4 listing the 10 players I predict the Union will grab in the Expansion Draft.
CHIVAS USA
PROTECTED
Jonathan Bornstein D
Justin Braun F
Maykel Galindo F
Sacha Kljestan M
Eduardo Lillingston F
Paulo Nagamura M
Claudio Suarez D
Carey Talley D
Shavar Thomas D
Zach Thornton GK
Mariano Trujillo DEXPOSED
Chukwudi Chijindu F
Jon Conway GK
Yamith Cuesta D
Jim Curtin D
Maicon Santos F
Jorge Flores D-M
Kevin Harmse D-M
Ante Jazic D
Dan Kennedy GK
Michael Lahoud M
Jesse Marsch M
Gerson Mayen M
Jesus Padilla M
Lance Parker GK
Ante Razov F
Marcelo Saragosa D-M
Bojan Stepanovic M
Sasha Victorine M
Cesar Zamora M
COLORADO RAPIDS
PROTECTED
Julien Baudet D
Conor Casey F
Colin Clark M
Omar Cummings F
Kosuke Kimura M
Nick LaBrocca M
Pablo Mastroeni M
Drew Moor D
Scott Palguta D
Matt Pickens GK
Jamie Smith MEXPOSED
Mehdi Ballouchy M
Preston Burpo GK
Stewart Ceus GK
Greg Dalby M
Facundo Diz D
Cory Gibbs D
Ty Harden D
Jordan Harvey D
Michael Holody D
Pat Noonan F
Jacob Peterson M
Ross Schunk F
Rob Valentino DEXEMPT
Ciaran O’Brien M
FC DALLAS
PROTECTED
Eric Avila M
Ray Burse GK
Jeff Cunningham F
David Ferreira M-F
George John D
Dax McCarty M
Heath Pearce D
Pablo Ricchetti D-M
Andre Rocha M
Brek Shea M-D
Dave van den Bergh MEXPOSED
Jair Benitez D
Marvin Chavez M
Kyle Davies D
Atiba Harris M-F
Daniel Hernandez M-D
Ugo Ihemelu D
Steve Purdy D
Dario Sala GK
Daniel Torres D
Blake Wagner D
Anthony Wallace D-MEXEMPT
Bruno Guarda M
Josh Lambo GK
Peri Marosevic F
HOUSTON DYNAMO
PROTECTED
Bobby Boswell D
Geoff Cameron D
Brian Ching F
Ricardo Clark M
Brad Davis M
Stuart Holden M
Luis Angel Landin F
Brian Mullan M
Dominic Oduro F
Pat Onstad GK
Eddie Robinson DEXPOSED
Corey Ashe M
Wade Barrett D
Mike Chabala D
Ryan Cochrane D
Tyler Deric GK
Andrew Hainault D
Tally Hall GK
John Michael Hayden M
Richard Mulrooney D
Abe Thompson F
Erik Ustruck F
Craig Waibel D
Cam Weaver FEXEMPT
Danny Cruz M
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
PROTECTED
David Beckham M
Gregg Berhalter D
Edson Buddle F
Landon Donavan F-M
Todd Dunivant D
Sean Franklin D
Omar Gonzalez D
Chris Klein M
Eddie Lewis M
Stefani Miglioranzi M
Donovan Ricketts GKEXPOSED
Chris Birchall M
A.J. DeLaGarza D
Alecko Eskandarian F
Alan Gordon F
Leonard Griffin D
Bryan Jordan F
Jovan Kirovski F
Dema Kovalenko M
Mike Magee M
Yohance Marshall D
Kyle Patterson M
Tony Sanneh D
Josh Saunders GK
Julian Valentin DEXEMPT
Tristan Bowen F
REAL SALT LAKE
PROTECTED
Kyle Beckerman M
Tony Beltran D
Nat Borchers D
Pablo Campos F
Fabian Espindola F
Robbie Findley F
Will Johnson M
Javier Morales M
Jamison Olave D
Nick Rimando GK
Robbie Russell D-MEXPOSED
Jean Alexandre M
Raphael Cox M
Rachid El Khalifi M-F
Nelson Gonzalez M-F
Ned Grabavoy M
David Horst D
Clint Mathis M
Yura Movsisyan F
Tino Nunez F
Kyle Reynish GK
Andy Williams M
Chris Wingert DEXEMPT
Alex Nimo F-M
Chris Seitz GK
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
PROTECTED
Arturo Alvarez M-F
Cornell Glen F
Jason Hernandez D
Ryan Johnson F
Andre Luiz M
Brandon McDonald D-M
Aaron Pitchkolan D
Shea Salinas M
Ramon Sanchez M
Andrew Weber GK
Chris Wondolowski FEXPOSED
Quincy Amarikwa F
Bobby Burling D
Joe Cannon GK
Bobby Convey M
Ramiro Corrales M
Simon Elliott M
Mike Graczyk GK
Chris Leitch D
Antonio Ribeiro M
Jamil Roberts D
Michael Zaher D
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
PROTECTED
Osvaldo Alonso M
Brad Evans M
Leonardo Gonzalez D
Jhon Kennedy Hurtado D
Kasey Keller GK
Freddie Ljungberg M
Sebastien Le Toux F
Fredy Montero F
Sanna Nyassi M
James Riley D
Steve Zakuani MEXPOSED
Terry Boss GK
Evan Brown D
Chris Eylander GK
Taylor Graham D
Patrick Ianni D
Nate Jaqua F
Stephen King M
Roger Levesque F
Tyrone Marshall D
Lamar Neagle M
Zach Scott D
Nathan Sturgis D
Peter Vagenas M
Tyson Wahl D
Category: Union News
Comments
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Interesting that you’re predicting Jaqua and Marshall will be exposed for Seattle in order to protect Le Toux and Nyassi. You may be right about Marshall due to his age and salary, but I’m not seeing Jaqua unprotected at all; he’s one of Sigi’s pet projects and ALWAYS starts if he’s fit and available.
You may be right about Le Toux (I’d be thrilled by this), but not about Nyassi. Sainey was definitely the better twin this season. Sanna is still defined by “untapped potential.”
I’m really kind of hoping you take Tyson Wahl, for both your sake and his. I really like Tyson, but he doesn’t fit into Seattle right now. He’s at best fourth on the roster at centerback and will never see playing time behind Marshall, Hurtado and Ianni, and his style of play at leftback isn’t what Sigi wants. (Leo Gonzalez goes forward much more.) But Tyson was solid at LB and amazing when he got called in to play CB in the USOC final.
This kid deserves a good home. Please adopt him.
(And don’t take Le Toux or Levesque. They won’t play well anywhere but Seattle. I think they need the rain for lubrication. Trust me on this one.)
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Agree with most of your Galaxy picks, but I think Bruce exposes Chris Klein and protects Chris Birchall. Birchall just signed a 4-year contract and he’s the obivous replacement on the right for Klein. He’s also almost 10 years younger, but has solid World Cup experience.
I think he also figures out a way to protect AJ Delagarza, maybe by exposing both Kovalenko and Miserable-anzi or, in a surprise move exposes Beerholder on the theory that few people will want a 37-year old centerback who costs a lot of money. And if you are right about some of the others left exposed (Ihemelu, Cuesta, Gibbs) then you don’t need what Beerholder brings to the table and you pay less money for it.
I also think that Houston exposes Landin given his gigantic salary hit and his uncanny ability to find most of the take-out restaurants in the city. Hainault benefits from this move.
Laurie, I don’t think you need to worry about losing defenders in this expansion draft, if these predictions hold up. I’d take Cuesta and Ihemelu over Ianni and Wahl.
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Laurie – I kept putting Jaqua on the protected list, but couldn’t figure out who to leave exposed. Keller? Le Toux? I finally had to put “pencils down” and just make a decision. Seattle was probably the most difficult team I analyzed. I’ll take your suggestion about Wahl into account for Part 4.
Nathan – I see your point about Klein/Birchall. AJ DLG was another player I couldn’t pin down. And for the most part, I just automatically protected DPs, but you’re probably right, Nowak and Co. will probably scoff at Landin’s ginormous salary.
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Great list. So who do you think they will take?
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Hurry up I want to see your list.
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I’m hurrying, I’m hurrying … but some of these comments are making me rethink things.
Can’t wait until next season when I only have to worry about who the Union will be protecting/exposing.
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And that will be tougher, since 2 teams will be stealing your players!
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But at least then it’s only one team’s roster I need to concentrate on. I think I bit off more than I can chew by trying to analyze all 15 teams.
So, Big E, what’s your take on my RSL list?
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Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
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