So Much Money, so little help
August 1, 2007 by f4denz.
Ok, While many claim I am too positive and optimistic in my approach to RSL, I proclaim that I try to offer constructive criticism without being a cynic. Which leads me to today’s post, so when we got traded Cunningham, we picked up Esky, and some additional cap room. We were told this would help the team sign a big name or several other players. A short while later we traded Klein to LA, for Sturgis and Findley, and again we gained some salary cap room, and we hoped that this would help the team in their search for a DP, or other major signing. Then we trade a couple draft picks for Wingert, but that is anything but a major trade or a major signing. Then only days after that we trade Medhi to Colorado for Beckerman, a trade that almost everyone in Salt Lake loved, but again this is far from a major deal or signing. Now this week, Freddy finally makes a long anticipated move to Europe, and we again gain cap room and cash, but still no major signing or major deal announced. Yesterday RSL announced the release of Danny Torres, to again free up cap room and a senior international slot on the roster, but again (getting a pattern?), we have no announcement of a major signing or deal to bring in some help to a team with only a single win this season.
All of this got me to thinking about a couple things; do we really have cap room to use? Is there still a DP on the way? Will we go down in MLS history as the worst team ever?
Well, let’s look at the money:
|
Player
|
Base
|
with Bonuses
|
|
Wingert Chris
|
$54,993.75
|
$62,493.75
|
|
Beckerman Kyle
|
$120,000.00
|
$122,500.00
|
|
Findley Robert
|
$36,000.00
|
$48,500.00
|
|
Sturgis Nathan
|
$70,000.00
|
$103,000.00
|
|
Besagno Nikolas
|
$75,000.00
|
$111,500.00
|
|
Brown Kyle
|
$17,700.00
|
$17,700.00
|
|
Brown Chris
|
$70,000.00
|
$70,000.00
|
|
Curfman Steven
|
$12,900.00
|
$12,900.00
|
|
Cutler Kenny
|
$30,000.00
|
$30,000.00
|
|
Forko Willis
|
$30,000.00
|
$30,000.00
|
|
Harris Atiba
|
$30,000.00
|
$30,000.00
|
|
Hashimoto Duke
|
$17,700.00
|
$17,700.00
|
|
Jimenez Christian
|
$33,075.00
|
$43,075.00
|
|
Kirby Dustin
|
$12,900.00
|
$12,900.00
|
|
Lancos Chris
|
$30,000.00
|
$30,000.00
|
|
Pope Eddie
|
$265,000.00
|
$265,000.00
|
|
Reynish Kyle
|
$12,900.00
|
$12,900.00
|
|
Rimando Nick
|
$64,125.00
|
$68,468.75
|
|
Rowland Jeff
|
$17,700.00
|
$17,700.00
|
|
Seitz Chris
|
$55,000.00
|
$90,500.00
|
|
Stewart Jack
|
$41,081.25
|
$48,581.25
|
|
Talley Carey
|
$118,248.00
|
$118,248.00
|
|
Watson Jamie
|
$45,100.00
|
$50,100.00
|
|
Williams Andy
|
$70,008.00
|
$70,008.00
|
|
Eskandarian Alecko
|
$155,000.00
|
$175,500.00
|
|
Totals
|
$1,484,431.00
|
$1,659,274.75
|
So if we signed a DP, they would count as a $400,000 hit on our salary cap, which still leaves us hundreds of thousands of dollars available. Does anyone think that any or all of our current players on trial (1 french national, 1 nigerian national, and 3 argentine nationals) would involve that much money?
Sorry, so are we as fans being asked to endure the worst single season in MLS history, because Dave wants to save some money?
Are we still looking for a DP, well consider that the MLS transfer window is still open to request foreign players until August 15th, which is strange considering the fact that FIFA’s transfer window is open until August 31st. It could still happen but some of the names mentioned, have either turned us down, or were deemed to expensive for RSL. I have great doubts on RSL’s ability to sign a meaningful DP this season and to be honest I would rather we make sure we make the right decision on who to bring in because…
We will set the record for the worst team in MLS history, barring some type of miracle (like 10 matches with a effort similar to what we saw against Everton), we will be lucky to win 5 matches.
OFF MY SOAPBOX