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Saborio named MLS Newcomer of the Year

Alvaro Saborio (ISIPhotos.com)

Real Salt Lake striker Alvaro Saborio didn't waste much time establishing himself as the top striker on a top team, and arguably one of the best finishers in MLS in his first season. His 12 goals in MLS play were enough to impress voters into naming him MLS Newcomer of the Year.

Saborio won the award, announced on Wednesday, ahead of a field that included New York midfielder Joel Lindpere, Los Angeles midfielder Juninho and Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and midfielder Ryan Smith.

Saborio finished with 12 goals and four assists and was pivotal in helping RSL finish with the second-best record in MLS and a first-place finish in its CONCACAF Champions League group (he scored six goals in Champions League play)

Lindpere was a close second, serving as the most consistent player and team MVP on a New York Red Bulls team that finished in first place in the East.

What do you think of this selection? Agree with the pick, or do you think Lindpere deserved it?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Not a difficult choice. This year was the lowest goal scoring average of any year in MLS. To snub players who aren’t in the attacking roles is criminal.

    For as ‘close’ as it seems, all the proof you need is in this: If you remove any of the players from their respective clubs, how would their clubs have faired this year?

    Real Salt Lake would have still been in the top 2 in the west, most likely. Saborio was surrounded by great talent and success.

    New York, on the other hand, would have been lucky to be three or four in the east, and probably couldn’t have hoped to be more than mid-table at best. Lindpere was the backbone, the spine, the heart and soul of the Red Bulls this year. He was the key piece in the puzzle that had the Red Bulls going from worst to first in the East.

    Lindpere was robbed. As was Ream.

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  2. Really difficult choice between Saborio and Lindpere. My own choice was Lindpere but I can see that Saborio was also a really welcome addition to MLS. I think that Lindpere will continue to show his quality next year.

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  3. The inclusion of Thierry Henry and the snub of Lindpere and Tim Ream have made me lose all interest in the playoffs and MLS for the rest of the season, my club is already out anyway. I’ve given up on the idiocy that the league is pawning off as saavy when it comes to these awards.

    Ridiculous.

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  4. Ives, you said that Lindpere was a close second. Do you have the actual final vote totals? Are the available to the general public?

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  5. Saborio is a fine player who had a fine season for a fine team. That won the MLS Cup last year without him.

    For me, without bad-mouthing Saborio, it was Lindpere all the way. Lindpere added stability and intelligence to what had been a crappy, inconsistent midfield. When Marquez arrived then he showed versatility.

    I think RBNY had a lot of fine individual performances this year–any team that wins a conference should have a couple of players up for awards. But to me, the two guys who really deserved awards and made the biggest difference are/were Lindpere and Backe.

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  6. FC Dallas’s coach is going to win that. His team is still in the playoffs. RSL, and NYDp’s coaches our out. You know these are (for the most part) predictable results.

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  7. How many votes did TH14 get? I wonder if his ridiculous inclusion among the nominees hurt Lindpere’s chances.

    With Ream and Lindpere both getting hosed I guess next up is Backe to not win Coach of the Year.

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