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Trades galore after MLS expansion draft

Sanna Nyassi (ISIPhotos.com)

Just when you thought the MLS Expansion Draft would be the main business of the day in Major League Soccer, a wave of trades followed after to make it the busiest day in MLS history.

The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps pulled off a plethora of post-draft trades, shipping off many of the players they just acquired. In total, seven of the 20 players chosen in today's expansion draft were traded away in six deals (for now).

Here is a rundown of all the trades (we'll update if any more come through:

Portland traded:

Dax McCarty and allocation money to D.C. United for Rodney Wallace and a 4th round pick.

Anthony Wallace to Colorado Rapids for allocation money.

Arturo Alvarez to Real Salt Lake for a 2nd-round pick in the 2011 MLS Draft.

Vancouver traded

Sanna Nyassi to Colorado Rapids for international player slot

O'Brian White to Seattle Sounders for allocation money.

Alejandro Moreno and Alan Gordon to Chivas USA for allocation money.

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What do you think of all the wheeling and dealing? Who do you think is in a better position to succeed in year one, Portland or Vancouver?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Joe,

    How are they going to get more starters?

    They have seven foreign slots and the typical MLS team has a mixed record with foreign signings. At best, they’ll only get three or four good foreign players out of that.

    Where else will they get players?

    Trades? Trade what?

    Draft? What are the odds they’ll get multiple MLS ready rookies?

    Most of the signable US/Canadian are already on other MLS teams or getting paid better in europe. Even if some want to come back, there is a process for that. Van/Port will only get one each.

    That adds up to only eight or ten MLS ready players to start the season. That won’t go over well.

    Van/Port needed to form the basis of the roster in the expansion draft and then fill it out with allocations, amateur draft and foreign signings.

    I’m not confident.

    Reply
  2. Freddy, inmature? Nooooo

    Most of the reason he’s tanking is because he is inmature and apparently does not have a good work ethic

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  3. Georg- The only way this would’ve been better for us, (in my eyes) is if they took Campos instead of Findley. I won’t be upset with the Alturo move either, if Jason can get him into the RSL system? I still think we had a great day.

    Reply
  4. Unless he drop’s is income a lot-playing in another league! He could trade salaries, and teams with Pablo Campos- wishful thinking I know.

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  5. Well the Whitecaps and Sounders HAVE played each other 111 times. ( Timbers and Sounders around 80 )

    While I don’t disagree with your post,

    if you want rivalries like that for 2011 in a league where the teams have been in existance for 16 years, good luck….or manufacture away.

    Reply
  6. The fact that they don’t makes the league more balanced. Would you like the MLS to be superstar dominate teams in LA, NY? One of the reason the MLS is able to grow and survive is because the don’t have free agency. An equal playing field for all teams makes it more exciting. I’ve always hated how the NFL, and NBA have the same teams getting to their finals year after year. The Galaxy are already getting old, just like the Lakers are. Look at the teams in the Cup the last few years- Crapids and Dallas, RSL and LA, NY and Columbus, Houston and N.E. You get the point. Much more entertaining.

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  7. When Freddy was in SLC, we used to see him all over the place. The places you would see him at (type of movies he would be at) and the players/friends he was with, I would argue that he is the age they say he is. Either that, or he’s inmature. I spoke with his mom for about 20 minutes at an RSL event, and their interaction’s where also very age appropriate.

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  8. Yep, Vancouver did go for Cannon. But I think there were a lot of projections of them going for Onstad. And there was lots of talk about Portland also going for a GK. And my argument throughout was that both of those teams have guys who are solid so you don’t pick a GK unless you think he’s a guaranteed starter for you and a significant upgrade over what you have.

    If there are other points you disagree with, than point ’em out.

    Reply
  9. “Also, when he was a teenager a bone density scan said he was older than his claimed age. So, once again, good job knowing the facts. ”

    Source?

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  10. Doesn’t Estrada hit a pretty good free kick? Or is that Nakazawa in Philly? I think I may be getting my UCLA grads mixed up but I do know one of them can serve a good ball

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  11. A long touch is also gives defenders a much larger tackling window so he’s worrying not only about controlling the ball, but also about having a defender come in and crunch him.

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  12. Teaching a player to cross is far easier said than done. A guy who has been playing professionally for years should be able to look up before he delivers his crosses. Sanna has trouble with it because his touch is usually off and he has to concentrate on regaining control.

    He will have some good years. Better than say… Chad Barret but I think you will get a solid work rate and the occasional hot streak from him. Unlikely that he will blow up.

    Reply
  13. Michael Bradley and Arjen Robben didn’t come from a very poor African childhood. Faking ages is very common in those countries. In fact, I just finished reading Declan Hill’s book “The Fix,” and a high ranking Ghanaian soccer offical admitted point blank that their youth teams were good in the past only because they made it a habit of playing over age players(great book but DO NOT read it if you dont want to be shocked to your very core about mathc fixing because it is very detailed and very incriminating). So, before you just write off suspicions about Freddy’s age, learn your facts. Also, when he was a teenager a bone density scan said he was older than his claimed age. So, once again, good job knowing the facts.

    Reply

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