Chivas USA made the biggest move in Monday's short first stage of the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft by using its fourth overall selection to pick former Real Salt Lake midfielder Arturo Alvarez.
Two other teams made selections, as the New England Revolution used the second overall pick on former Toronto FC fullback Danleigh Borman, and the Columbus Crew used the ninth overall pick to add former New York Red Bulls defender Carlos Mendes. The remaining 16 teams opted to pass.
Both Alvarez and Borman were out-of-contract players, meaning Chivas and New England must make "bona fide" contract offers to them. In simpler terms, that means they're guaranteed an offer of a first-year salary at least equal to their 2011 annual base salary. Players will be on the team's books at that number until at least April 1, the earliest date that salary figure can be mutually negotiated down, according to the MLS collective bargaining agreement.
For Alvarez, his base salary this past year was $192,585. Borman's was $42,000. Should either player reject the offer, the teams will still have the right of first refusal for him.
Columbus will be forced to pick up Mendes' existing contract option, which was denied by New York.
The second stage of the draft will be held next Monday, when teams won't be shackled by current contract terms. Players still in the draft pool can also negotiate with their former teams up until Friday at 5 p.m. to avoid being subjected to the draft process.
Some of the bigger names still available include former Houston Dynamo fullback Hunter Freeman, Chicago Fire midfielder Baggio Husidic, Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams and MLS all-time leading goalscorer Jeff Cunningham. The full list of players available in the draft can be seen here.
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What do you think of these selections? Surprised that a high-salary player like Alvarez was taken in the first stage? Whom would you like to see your team take in the second stage?
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