The MLS re-entry draft is an odd duck of a thing. It’s a form of quasi-free agency that many people fail to understand. Basically, it’s a way to address the absolutely inexcusable situation that used to exist when a veteran player could be cut by a team and still be basically held ransom by their former club.
Before the re-entry draft, they couldn’t sign with another MLS team unless that team provided compensation to their previous club. It was absurd – imagine if you were laid off by Wal-Mart but couldn’t get a job at The Gap unless The Gap gave Wal-Mart a new cash register.
It’s far from true free agency – and you can bet that the MLS Player’s Association is watching the effectiveness of this draft carefully.
The eligibility is as follows:
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· Players who are at least 23 years old, have a minimum of three years of MLS experience, and whose options were not exercised by their clubs (available at option salary for 2013).
· Players who are at least 25 years old, have a minimum of four years of MLS experience, were out of contract, and whose club did not offer them a contract at their previous salary (available at 2012 salary).
· Players who are at least 30 years old, have a minimum of eight years of MLS experience, were out of contract, and whose club did not wish to re-sign them (available for at least 105 percent of their 2012 salary)
Interestingly, I’ve had a Canadian MLS official tell me that the final point has changed and that it’s actually 110 percent of the 2012 salary that will be required.
In the two previous drafts there have been 26 players selected. Of those, only five were selected in the first phase.
That makes sense since those are players that are generally being deemed overpaid by the teams leaving them exposed.
The first phase selections were Danleigh Borman, Arturo Alvarez, Carlos Mendes in 2011 and Joseph Ngwenya and Aaron Hohlbein in 2010. Hardly stars. For the most part they were moderately paid players that fit a specific need of the club selecting them.
The higher profile players go in the second phase.
The same Canadian MLS official that told me that the mandated raise has been bumped from 5 percent to 10 percent was blunt – “no one is getting picked in the first phase this year.”
Toronto holds the first choice in both phases. Those close to the club were coy when asked if the Reds would be selecting anyone – we look at every option to improve the club blah, blah, blah, cliché, cliché, cliché – but informed speculation is that the club expects a couple discovery signings from Paul Mariner’s European adventure to come through and thus it’s unlikely they will be taking part.
They will watch with interest, however, as they have five players exposed. Of those, three – Avila, Hall and Wiedeman – are still potential returnees. The Reds have exposed them so as to be able to renegotiate their contracts at a lower number.
The players available, listed from most expensive to least.
DAL Julian De Guzman $1,863,000
COL Conor Casey $400,000
CHV Juan Pablo Angel $350,000
CHV Danny Califf $275,000
COL Marvell Wynne $250,000
LA Chad Barrett $220,000
CHI Gonzalo Segares $210,000
MTL Justin Mapp $210,000
SJ Khari Stephenson $190,000
CHV Alejandro Moreno $185,000
SJ Ramiro Corrales $173,250
CLB Will Hesmer $170,000
VAN John Thorrington $170,000
DAL Kevin Hartman $165,000
COL Jamie Smith $148,992
TOR Adrian Cann $126,000
TOR Eric Avila $125,000
POR Rodney Wallace $110,000
SEA O'Brian White $110,000
DC Maicon Santos $106,400
HOU Colin Clark $105,427
CLB Tony Tchani $105,000
COL Hunter Freeman $105,000
CLB Chris Birchall $102,000
CHI Corben Bone $100,000
CLB Julius James $100,000
SJ Ike Opara $100,000
TOR Jeremy Hall $100,000
COL Tyrone Marshall $90,000
TOR Ty Harden $90,000
SJ Joseph Gjertsen $85,000
POR Lovel Palmer $85,000
TOR Andrew Wiedeman $80,000
MTL Shavar Thomas $80,000
CHI Jay Nolly $78,200
LA Brian Perk $76,000
DC Michael Chabala $75,000
CHV Peter Vagenas $70,000
LA Pat Noonan $70,000
RSL Kyle Reynish $66,000
COL Tyson Wahl $65,000
DC Stephen King $65,000
SJ Tim Ward $65,000
NY Stephen Keel $65,000
COL Scott Palguta $63,670
LA Andrew Boyens $62,500
NE Blair Gavin $60,000
NY Bill Gaudette $60,000
DAL Bruno Guarda $60,000
LA Bryan Jordan $55,000
MTL Josh Gardner $54,120
SEA Andrew Weber $51,996
LA Kyle Nakazawa $51,150
DAL Scott Sealy $50,004
COL Joseph Nane $44,100
KC Olukorede Aiyegbusi $44,100
NE Tim Murray $44,100
COL Ian Joyce $44,004
PHI Chase Harrison $44,000
POR Steve Purdy $44,000
RSL Paulo Jr. $44,000
SEA Mike Seamon $33,750
The top name on that list will jump out to TFC and Canadian fans. And, we can safely assume Julian won’t be selected in the first phase. A second phase selection isn’t out of the question, but it’s likely that de Guzman has told league officials that he will be shopping himself elsewhere.
That’s for the best – he’ll make more money in a second tier league in Europe and be more effective.
The group of players in that $400,000 to $150,000 range are the most interesting. A lot of those players are MLS lifters and they are likely targets in the second phase.
In terms of players that might get picked in the first round, it’s not hard to agree with the official that said it was unlikely. Ike Opara was highly regarded at one point, but has struggled in MLS. He’s still young. Is he worth a gamble at $110,000?
Maicon Santos at around $110,000 might be a decent pick-up for a team that is looking for a fourth option up top – maybe one of the Champions League sides. He’s widely inconsistent, but he can catch fire. You don’t want to rely on him, but he’s cheap if you’re already set and just looking for a bonus few goals.
From a Toronto perspective there is a lot of nostalgia, but maybe not as much true opportunity. For the right number, Tony Tchani might be worth bringing back. Even a Chad Barrett could be useful at the right number (and, like with Santos, as a depth option).
However, as we said above, not much is expected from the Reds here.
We’ll have another look at the draft after the first round. A lot of these guys will drop off after they have renegotiated a lower number with their current club.