Top Stories

Timbers trade allocation, international slot to acquire Kimura from Rapids

Kosuke Kimura (Getty Images)

The Portland Timbers have bolstered their defensive options, acquiring Kosuke Kimura in a trade with the Colorado Rapids on Thursday.

The Timbers gave up allocation money and an international roster spot through the rest of the season in the deal, but in return they got a seasoned MLS defender who can help fill a void at right back. Kimura joins Portland after spending his first six seasons as a professional with the Rapids.

Kimura scored one goal and assisted on two others for the Rapids in 12 games this season, and he started in 109 of the 117 league matches he played in since 2007.

What do you think of the Timbers acquiring Kimura? Sad to see the long-time Rapids defender leave the club? Expecting Kimura to thrive in Portland?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Freeman has been pretty solid since coming to the Rapids. While we will miss Kimura, I don’t see this as a front office fail. They’re clearly opening up space for some new signings. And why do you act like it’s a bad thing to bring in Colombians? Zapata looked fantastic last game and Castrillon is our leading scorer. I’m afraid your post has more hate than substance

    Reply
  2. I would have felt better if they’d sent Koz to the East, I hate seeing him on a team were competing with for a playoff spot

    Reply
  3. I think its cool to see American create something of its own. Create a league to last, one that we invent our own mechanisms to manage. I am sorry, though, that you want to change all that just so you seem cool to your friends. I am sure all the loyalist euro snobs of the 18th century thought the Constitution was complicated and uncool too.

    Reply
  4. Freeman has been good? Is that why they’ve lost so many games? I’d hate to see him “terrible”. Kos is a 150% class act. Best of luck to him. The Crapids FO fails again. I’m sure they’ll get someone else from Colombia so Pareja feels all comfy cozy with familiar faces.

    Reply
  5. Kimura will always be remembered here in Colorado as a respected, selfless player who not only performed on the field but off the field as well. He was a great ambassador for the Rapids. For those who don’t know, before and after matches he ALWAYS completed a lap around the field thanking the fans. Class guy. Hunter Freeman just beat him out for a spot. No shame in that. Freeman fits Peraja’ style and has been very, very good since his insertion into the lineup. It’s better for Kimura to play than sit and I’m glad he’s going to get a chance for Portland. He deserves it. Portland will be happy.

    Reply
  6. The owners are the single format. They vote on decisions and all things MLS, they are the stoke holders.The same in the NBA,NHL and NFL. It is the same thing. The single format is to control spending, this is why they have it in place. In the future it will be different, but while the league is still growing, they must kept it in place.

    Reply
  7. that is not correct.Research it on your own. MLS is single-entity meaning MLS LLC owns 51% of every MLS team. MLS, not individual teams, hold all contracts. And there is no free agency. No other league in America is structured like this. No other league in the world is.

    If controlling spending was the goal why not just have a 4 mil salary cap? I don’t buy the controlling spending argument when you have NY Red Bull spending 10.2 mil a year on just two players.

    Reply
  8. MLS is owned by individual owner’s, that forms one party. MLS is controlled by the owners, like every other major sport’s league in this country. A single format does not mean one owner. A single format is to control spending, even while losing money.

    Reply
  9. i don’t mind a salary cap.

    what puts me off MLS is that MLS LLC owns every team and that there is no free agency. Instead there are all these gimmicks: allocations, discovery claims, DP’s etc.

    imagine if the San Francisco Giants and the LA Dodgers were owned by the same company. That’s exactly what MLS is.

    bringing this up means I should personally be insulted?

    Reply
  10. in his defense its hard to get excited about monopoly money and roster spots..even more difficult to explain to friends what this is and why a team would trade a player for it..

    on the other hand if there was a transfer fee of say $100,000 that would make sense to 9/10 people.

    Reply
  11. What happen to the rangers, can happen to any team in Europe, bad economy plus reckless spending. MLS way is the best way. I just won’t the salary cap to go up, not go away.

    Reply
  12. Great player, and great fit for Portland.

    I hope Oskar doesn’t intend on using Freeman and Zapata as the only fullbacks for the rest of the year.

    Rapids have been trimming the roster and saving money here and there.. time for a signing. Preferably a CB/FB/W type.

    Reply
  13. I see 11v11 with a 10 yard wide goal that is 8 feet tall with the sole object of advancing a spherical object into it.

    Looks like soccer to me.

    Reply
  14. Jack Jewsbury has been the fill-in RB for the last few games. So you missed the one guy holding his spot if he challenges for a starting spot.

    Reply
  15. allocations..drafts… discovery claims…no free agency…single entity…ugh

    wake me up when MLS is real soccer league.

    Reply
  16. Sad to see Koz go, he was a fan favorite and never gives up on a play. We will miss him. Hope he finds a new role there, he just didn’t seem as comfortable in Paraja’s system this year.

    Reply
  17. Guy is solid. Who is he bumping down the depth chart? Palmer/Chabala/Horst?

    Here is the list:

    Eric Brunner 26 6′ 4″ 170 US
    David Horst 26 6′ 4″ 210 US
    Steve Purdy 27 6′ 4″ 190 US
    Chris Taylor 23 6′ 1″ 160 US
    Mamadou Danso 29 6′ 3″ 185 Gambia
    Andrew Jean-Baptiste 20 6′ 2″ 205 US
    Hanyer Mosquera 25 6′ 1″ 175 Colombia
    Ryan Kawulok 22 6′ 2″ 185 US
    Steven Smith 26 5′ 10″ 160 Scotland
    Kosuke Kimura 28 5′ 9″ 155 Japan
    Rodney Wallace 24 6′ 165 CostaRica
    Mike Chabala 28 6′ 175 US
    Lovel Palmer 27 5′ 10″ 160 Jamaica

    Reply

Leave a Comment