Moves looming

Today is a big day (of sorts) - the MLS combine starts, giving all the teams a chance to see 65 U.S. college prospects play for a few days and possibly move up (or way down) in the draft. This is important for TFC because if someone, like a striker, really stands out it could change what picks we keep and which ones we trade. So much talk over the last week or so about the moves trying to be made - A DP before the start of the season? No DP until the summer? No DP at all!? That is a debate I'll leave for another time.



The main talks going on and the ones I think we can almost guarantee on is trading a draft pick or even two, and getting some new young talent (duh). I would wager that how the combine plays out will determine whether or not we trade away pick number 2 or 4, or both. For the last three years my main source for draft prospects is ESPNSoccernet's "Rating the ..." features. Last season, however, it might have been just a bad draft year but it was so far off I have trouble putting too much stock into their picks. For example, their top 20 included Julius James right at the top and if I remember correctly Xavier Balc around number 14. Well if these guys are what is considered to be the top players then I say go ahead and trade our picks because at least in return we'll get someone who will play well for us (or at all)! The problem I might see with these features is that they are rated amoungst the collegiate level and not in terms of where they'll fit in MLS. When you read this year's it seems as though we are dealing with a very deep, talent filled pool, but I seem to remember thinking that last year as well. Just like last year, there are a handful who are being touted as "MLS ready". I am by no means an expert and my database and program which runs all draft players from 1995 to the present and their success rate in MLS is still in the works, so really I'm just going on what info is available out there ... and my gut! HA.

Every year you can look back and see there are a few players who clearly stand out. But that is the issue - a FEW. Edu and Soumare (hmm #1 and 2!) in 2007; Wynne, Kljestan and Alditore in 2006; Guzan and Parkhurst in 2005 ... Most of whom have left for Europe. So as I mentioned in an earlier blog about the value of the draft it's a tricky balance of finding an immediate impact player and how long they will stay before crossing the pond. If we could get a solid pick and trade one for an established player, that would be the win-win. Yet, some of the best of the '09 class have already left, most recently one of the top strikers, Marcus Tracy has agreed to play in Denmark.

To me, it makes sense that if we want an immediate impact player, the only way to know 100% is the trade option. With Mo amoungst all his MLS peers I'm sure we all know he's like a pig in shit with trade possibilities. By next Tuesday I'd bet word will be out on roughly what the move will be - which I'd think is trading either #2 or #4 (or both) but based on whether or not someone really stands out, and keeping #13. With no BIG SPLASH, which was all over the place after the DeRo trade, it's nice that for once we'll have a guaranteed move happening in the next week. Get ready!