That news, along with the knowledge that Colorado's roster decisions were due yesterday, and will likely be announced late tomorrow, means that this is the time to go through my opinion of the players we should keep and the ones we should move on from.
Normally this is a long post going player by player and ending up wanting to replace a significant number. This season, thanks to the solid roster construction by Padraig Smith and Robin Fraser, the post is going to be much shorter. First, there's a core group that should obviously be kept. That group is:
GK; William Yarbrough, Abe Rodriguez
D: Lalas Abubakar, Seb Anderson, Michael Edwards, Kortne Ford, Keegan Rosenberry, Danny Wilson
M: Kellyn Acosta, Braian Galvan, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Oliver Larraz, Jonathan Lewis, Philip Mayaka, Jack Price, Darren Yapi
F: Michael Barrios, Matt Hundley, Yaya Toure
These are either obviously core members of our team, homegrowns, or young players that we should continue to develop. Some of them, like Acosta and Ford, are in option years and should have their options picked up.
There are two names missing from the list, and its because I wouldn't be shocked to see them sold to Europe. Cole Bassett is almost certainly gone after declining a transfer this season. The other that I wouldn't be surprised to be sold is Auston Trusty. If they aren't sold they, obviously, should be kept.
After that group there are 5 players that are free agents, either directly or if we don't pick up their option:
Andre Rawls is in an option year. I would probably let him go because I don't see a real future with the team, but if the club likes having him in USL as an emergency keeper I don't see a problem with that.
Steven Beitashour is out of contract. I wouldn't be shocked if he retires. If he doesn't I don't know that there's a good reason to re-sign him, but if we do, again, no big deal.
Dominique Badji is out of contract. Even though it would cost us 50K in GAM to Nashville, I'd re-sign him assuming we could get him ad a workable number. He's obviously improved from his first stint in Colorado and is a nice option off the bench.
Drew Moor is out of contract. I can't see him signing anywhere else, so the only question is if he wants to play another year. Personally if he's willing to take $150K-$200K to be a locker room presence and to close out the last 10 minutes of games I'm happy to give him a contract every year until he's 50. He's the only name missing from the Rapids Gallery of Honor (because he hasn't retired yet) and is a club legend. It doesn't hurt at all to keep him on the roster if he wants it.
Nicolas Mezquida is the last player that would be a free agent if we don't pick up his option. This one I just don't know about. $300K is a lot of money for a backup midfielder. I don't see the value on the field. That said, he's apparently one of the best locker room presences on the team, and is willing to do whatever is necessary to help the club. If those intangibles are important enough to Smith and Fraser then I could see picking up his option but I think its a real stretch.
We also have two players on loan, with very different results:
Lucas Esteves - We should continue his loan with a plan to buy him when it ends if he continues on his current trajectory.
Younes Namli - his loan is up at the end of the season, and we should let him go. He doesn't fit what this team has turned into. He clearly has talent and had we gone towards a system that could utilize a #10 and/or ended up with fewer quality outside players he might be worth pursuing. But right now the money spent on him doesn't match the upgrade in his position on the field. We'd be better off spending that money on a true striker.
That leaves us a group of players who may or may not be out of contract but aren't members of the core group:
GK - Clint Irwin - I know there's a thought that having two #1's pushes them to be better, but I think Yarbrough is pulling away from Irwin At this point I think a younger understudy is a better #2 option. If we get a chance to move Irwin we should.
D - Jeremy Kelly - I like his utility, he's currently at a low number, he's a good low-risk investment to keep him in 2022.
M - Will Vint - Your guess is as good as mine on what's going on with Vint. I assume whatever it is will drive the decision to keep him or not.
M - Collen Warner - He's a good backup. Hard to to better at $80K.
F - Diego Rubio - Rubio is not the answer as a starting #9 for this team. However he does have quality and there was rumored interest from Chile. If we can find a way to trade him in the league or sell him we should. He's under contract through the 2023 season with a club option for 2024 so he's not going anywhere otherwise, but we shouldn't rely on him as a starter.
F - Andre Shinyashiki - The former Rookie of the Year seems to have stalled in his development. He probably needs to play regularly, but that's not going to happen here. He's probably too good for a USL loan. He was on a team option in 2021. If we can get him back at around his current number ($130K) as a backup, its probably worth it. But if we lose him in the expansion draft or we can deal him in a trade it wouldn't be a significant loss.
That's it, that's all 34 players currently on the roster. Next up we'll talk expansion draft (probably next week as I expect to have the roster news over the weekend).
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment