The MLS Supplemental Draft will take place today and the name most observers will be looking to see called is Ohio State forward Xavier Balc, who went from first-round consideration to undrafted after a terrible performance at the MLS Combine.
Balc should go in the first round of today’s draft (Yes, I know, you’ve heard that before). Buzz Carrick over at 3rd Degree has his list of best available players for the supplemental draft.
One name not on that list that you should look for is Laurent Manuel from Brown University. One name I would like to see taken is Villanova defender Matt Sleece, a quality defender overshadowed by the bigger names in the Big East. And yes, he’s from Jersey.
The Supplemental Draft begins at 3pm and the results of the draft are to be revealed after 4pm. I will be working to get the final list as soon as possible so stay tuned for that.
Glad to see we got Balc (even tho im now completely hesistent as he dropped so significantly), regardless im hoping he pans out. Bit curious to see who we pick up in the last two and why we skipped the second.. Someone suggested its so we can pick some canadian players at lower pay… Anyone know the canadian players in the draft?
I got smart! Just changed the 2007 URL to the 2008 URL for the Supplemental draft.
http://www.mlsnet.com/mls/events/supplementaldraft/2008/search.jsp
so…where’s the list?
previous supplemental drafts prior to 2005 were a different thing. Teams mostly picked up young players from USL, not passed over college seniors. After the 2000 advent of the “SuperDraft (combining the college, supplemental, and p40 picks) there was no big 4 round supplemental draft again until 2005. Ching wasn’t taken in a standard January supplemental draft. More like a waiver draft no matter what they ended up calling up. In 2003 around 5 guys were picked up from lower leagues (3 right before preseason, then 2 players right at the start of the season).
So it’s not an even comparison except for the last 3 years. Players taken of note are Jason Hernandez, Abe Thompson, Aaron Pitchkolan, Jeff Larentowicz, Joe Vide, Dasan Robinson, Lawson Vaughn, Daniel Wasson, and Devon McTavish. So it’s not impossible, though improbable to get a decent eventual starter. Usually the gems are from smaller schools or are slow, but hard working types. Scouting is getting better, but there should still be a few players left that’ll pan out.
J-Man I was thinking the same thing earlier.
Any results as of yet?
3 words. El Hadj Cisse.
Make it happen Jeff and Juan Carlos!
Dasan Robinson was taken in the supplemental draft, I believe
Dasan Robinson was taken in the supplemental draft, I believe
Colorado have definitely waived Sanneh and have bought Chase Hilgenbrinck, who played in Chile (but is American).
Good signing?
Ives,
What ever happened with eliseo giusfredi? Is he going to play overseas?
-dl
Xavier Balc does not equal Jason Garey.
xavier balc = jason garey and nobody wants jason garey these days either….good pick columbus!
Devon McTavish was a Supplemental Pick and has cemented a regular role in United’s back line. He will be a full-time starter this season.
Thanks Alex. I think you’re right in separating the USL/Pre-Superdraft players. That was a very different circumstance.
However, a player of Joe Vide’s quality and potential is a damn nice find in the Supplemental draft. It is worth paying attention to.
@Tony
Joe Vide
Jeff Larentowicz
and a few people who are still projects in my mind (Abe Thompson, Chris Wondolowski, Guy-Roland Kpene, some others) are the only ones from this iteration of the Supplemental Draft. You might see Wondolowski get some playing time this season, though Kpene might see more bench than last season.
Other notable players picked in previous iterations:
Chris Armas
Kerry Zavagnin
Curt Onalfo
Carlos Llamosa
C.J. Brown
Petter Villegas
Brandon Prideaux
Brian Ching
John Wolyniec
Though for the most part that was before the advent of the SuperDraft, so those were the USL players being distributed through draft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLS_Supplemental_Draft
Yannick Reyering is the guy I would take a flier on in the supplemental draft. His knee injury and intl status probably scared everyone away in the superdraft.
Ah, it was just a 3-4 minute clip. Check GolTV for the next replay of American Soccer, I guess, to catch it.
Ives is being interviewed on “American Soccer” on GolTV right now. 11:06 CT. Ha! Nice.
Ives – did you find out from any teams why Balc’s stock went from 1st rounder to 46 seniors taken over him?
A subpar combine still doesn’t explain dropping that far. He was a First Team All-American – that had to count for something right?
Is the Supplemental going to be online like it was last year?
Ives:
Can you name legitimate Supplemental Draft prospects in the past who became quality players? (By legitimate, I mean people who weren’t game the system to get on a specific team.)