Roster Reset #10

It’s been a while since we reset the roster, mostly because United have been (relatively) quiet on the signing front. The big news, of course, was getting De Rosario’s contract sorted out and extended, but there are a few items to address, so let’s go ahead and do a pre-Coffee Pot Cup reset, shall we?

First, we finally have the updated guidance from the league on how the rosters are to be structured this year. The most important change here is in the age requirements for off-budget players, which were removed in favor of salary requirements. Thus, I’ve moved players (Korb, King) who I’d initially had on the salary budget list to off-budget to reflect the status they have on DC United’s roster page. The exception is Kitchen, who they have as off-budget courtesy of his Generation Adidas contract, but that can’t be right since he’s graduated from GenAd.

Second are the changes in the trialists section. I know that Lambo was still said to be under consideration, but seeing as how Andrew Dykstra claims he’ll be (or was, at this point) signed on 2/20, I’m taking the liberty of removing him. That said, I’m not pushing Dykstra onto the roster until we get official word of his signing (and whether he’ll be on- or off-budget). I’ve also added the two left backs: Guilherme and Burciaga. Though Burciaga has been listed as a “guest” player by United in pre-season camp updates, the fact that he’s traveling with the team suggests to me that this is more than helping the club out with numbers. I’m guessing he’s the left-back-depth insurance policy if a deal can’t get done for Guilherme or if the Brazilian wingback clearly isn’t up to snuff.

On to the updated roster…


Salary Budget Players (18 required, maximum 20)

  1. D (I) Jakovic, Dejan
  2. D Woolard, Daniel - Is he really a starting-quality MLS fullback?
  3. D McDonald, Brandon
  4. D Russell, Robbie - Past it or the second coming of Namoff?
  5. D (I) Dudar, Emiliano - Can he supplant Jakovic or McDonald to start?
  6. D/M Kitchen, Perry - The anchor-elect. United lists him as off-budget courtesy of GenAd, but I’m pretty sure he graduated.
  7. M Morsink, Kurt - Surplus to requirements with addition of Saragosa?
  8. M Saragosa, Marcelo - Journeyman vet offers cover for Kitchen
  9. M (I, DP) Boskovic, Branko - Ready to make a statement?
  10. M Cruz, Danny
  11. M/F De Rosario, Dwayne
  12. M/F Pontius, Chris
  13. F Wolff, Josh
  14. F (I) Santos, Maicon
  15. F (I, DP) Salihi, Hamdi
  16. -
  17. -
  18. -
  19. (optional)
  20. (optional)

Off-Budget Players (8 required, maximum 10)

  1. GK (HG) Hamid, Bill
  2. GK Willis, Joe
  3. D (HG) White, Ethan
  4. D Korb, Chris
  5. D/M (HG) Shanosky, Conor - Ready to play with the big boys?
  6. M King, Stephen
  7. M (HG) Najar, Andy
  8. M/F DeLeon, Nick
  9. (optional)
  10. (optional)

Trialists

  1. GK Dykstra, Andrew - According to him, he’s signed, but no official word yet from United.
  2. D (I) Guilherme - Brazilian left wingback.
  3. D Burciaga, Jose - Listed as a “guest” player, but Goff says United are “evaluating.”
  4. M C’deBaca, Seth - Still on trial? Haven’t heard his name in a while.
  5. M Rozeboom, Lance - Suppie pickup. D-mid depth?
  6. M/F Richter, Ryan - Union washout, college goalscorer (for what it’s worth), can play right back in a pinch.
  7. F (I) Alfredo - Brazilian youth prospect.

Interesting (assuming United’s roster page is correct) that we still have three salary budget spots that we must fill to fulfill MLS rules. I’d assume the two Brazilians on loan would take two of those spots (if they’re signed), but who gets the third? Given that it’s as easy as United saying somebody counts on the salary budget roster, there isn’t a problem here; it’s just interesting that instead of needing to trim players to fit roster regulations, United needs to add them.

5 comments:

  1. Not to get critical(I love your work), but according to this link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2017563767_changes_to_mls_roster_rules_in.html

    It appears that the 2 optional spots that you get allocation money from the league for not using, are actually 2 off budget spots, not senior roster spots.

    So these means that we would need to fill the 20 senior spots, and not actually add any more off budget spots.

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    Replies
    1. My prediction, given this information is accurate, is that spot 16-18 will go to Dykstra, Guilherme, and Alfredo.
      Then, King and another player(Korb?), given their age, will go up to the Senior roster, giving it the full 20.

      Then, Richter and Rozeboom will take the last 2 spots on the off budget list, leaving us with 28 players on the roster, and no space for C'de Baca or Burciaga on the roster(provided that Guilherme beats out Burciaga, and that both the Brazilians can have loans successfully negotiated...)

      These predictions are null and voide if any new players come into the fold :)

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    2. Now that I go and read the actual MLS rules, I read it both ways. It applies that spots 19 and 20 are optional and that spots 29 and 30 are optional. Perhaps it is flexibile as to where the spots are left open? My player predictions still stand, I'm just not sure who they will slot in where...

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    3. This is how it works. You've got fixed cap money to spread among 18 to 20 salary budget players. You can chose not to use two of those spots if you wish, spreading the existing cap among 18 players rather than 20.

      In the off-budget spots, you can choose to leave two of the final five spots (earning min. salary of $33,750) open, banking $35k for each spot left open as allocation money.

      Before you can decide who fills which and how many spaces, you need to figure out how much cap space remains.

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    4. I suppose I should make those last two off-budget spots "optional" as well. By my reading, rosters can be 26-30 players, depending on how (and if) you choose to use the optional slots.

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