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Espindola, De Rosario selected in stage two of MLS Re-Entry Draft

Fabian Espindola

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

Eight players were selected in the second stage of the 2013 Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft, highlighted by the selections of Fabian Espindola and Dwayne De Rosario.

Espindola was the first player selected as D.C. United took the former Real Salt Lake and New York Red Bulls forward, improving their attacking options considerably should he sign. Second off the board was De Rosario, who was taken by Toronto FC, where he played from 2009-2011.

Rounding out the first round were the selections of Medhi Ballouchy (Vancouver Whitecaps), Shaun Frances (Earthquakes) and Chad Barrett (Sounders). The second round began with D.C. United selecting Nana Attakora before the Earthquakes picked Brandon Barklage and the Sounders grabbed Corey Herzog. 14 teams waived their selection in the first round of the draft.

Teams who selected players have seven days to make a “Bona Fide offer,” and if the player refuses and goes abroad, the team holds the right of first refusal on the player’s rights indefinitely.

Surprisingly, former MVP winner David Ferreira and veterans Heath Pearce, Joe Cannon, and Brian Mullan were not selected. Players not selected in the Re-Entry Draft are available to clubs on a first-come first-serve basis.

The selection of Espindola takes the headlines as D.C. United stocks up on experienced forwards following a woeful scoring campaign. If Espindola signs, he’ll join Eddie Johnson and Conor Doyle in the D.C. United attack. De Rosario meanwhile returns to his hometown club in Toronto, but at 35-years of age, there’s plenty of questions about how much he can contribute to the club next season.

TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko has publicly stated that he’s interested in signing De Rosario but it would have to be at a salary figure that’s much lower than what the Canadian international was earning with D.C. United.

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What do you think of the draft results? Think that D.C. United’s attack has gone from worst to one of the best? See De Rosario signing with TFC? Think that Ballouchy can contribute for the Whitecaps? Surprised that Ferreira, Pearce, and Mullan weren’t selected?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Espindola-la-la!

    Don’t forget we had Pajoy starting every game last year, so it’s pretty easy to get us excited.

    Reply
    • —————————————-EJ—————————
      —Pontius————–Espindola—————DeLeon—
      —————–?————————–Kitchen—————
      –Kolb———–Bosswell———-Jokavic——-Franklin
      —————————-Hamid———————————-

      Not bad adjustment for a team that was crap last year. Hopefully they pick up a good player (or 2) in the College Draft as well.

      Reply
      • i think we’ll see:

        ————Espindola——-EJ—————–
        ————————Silva———————–
        Pontius——————————–DeLeon
        ———————–Kitchen——————–

        same backline/keeper. i don’t see Silva on the bench. but if your lineup is right, then i would guess Jeffery plays next to Kitchen as a #8.

  2. Can you “squat” a player in this draft (and trade them on) or do you have to keep whom you draft? In theory this is a new regime and Toronto is DeRo’s home town, but arguably he was sent home once before and it didn’t work and he got out. Why would he want to stay? Is this just squatting and they’ll “sign and trade?”

    Reply
    • Actually, you don’t even own the player. You have 7 days to get ’em signed or provide a bonafied offer. After that, they’re a free agent.

      I think the deal with DeRo after a 2013 where he was slow, often injured and had his worst year (statistically) in his entire MLS career (and that includes his first year where he was mostly a reserve with San Jose)….is about stuff that is only going to be resolved by having him in camp and seeing him train…is he healthy? Game shape? How is his endurance? His quickness? Ability to beat defenders consistently? His touch? So the concept of a sign and trade is just downright silly with DeRo.

      Reply
  3. Seattle management with some interesting decisions. First of all Alonso as dp? A very limiting move. Then they get rid of EJ and hope to replace his production with cooper and Barrett? Unlikely. Martins is going to score but he gets injured and won’t be as affective with Dempsey missing one with the national team. Meanwhile Portland didn’t need much and they get zakuani who could do very well for timbers.

    Reply
  4. Not sure at all why the Sounders took Chad Barrett at all, I guess there isn’t much of a risk but I would be shocked if he does anything at all this year.

    Reply
    • Chad Barret scored the lone goal against a Messi lead Argentina in the 2005 U-20 World Cup. The US coach for that tournament was…..wait for it…. Sigi Schmid. Since his number one priority as coach is to assemble as many of his former players as possible, we all should have seen this comming.

      Of course if you look at it based on what what he can add to the team, then it makes no sense at all.

      Reply
    • defiantly your 5th best striker behind Dempsey, Neagle, Martins and Cooper. with Zabaleta, Bowen and Hertzog also on the roster not sure why the needed him too..

      Espindola at DCU could be just what they needed.

      Reply
      • I had forgotten about Bowen and that just makes this even more perplexing. I think the Sounders still see Zabaleta as a better CB than striker long term but I would see him get a run at some point this season. He was never given a shot to do anything last year.

    • Sigi Schmid has always had a case of serious man-love for Chad Barrett. I remember on I think it was the U-20 team or maybe the Olympic side where Sigi praised Barrett and bashed Adu publicly.

      Reply

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