Results and Roster Moves

Lots of news from the Rapids today. First the game result, then the roster moves.

This morning (early this morning Colorado time) the Rapids played the Arsenal Reserves. According to Arsenal fans it was closer to a mix of reserves and youth team players. The Rapids won 1-0 on a Casey goal with a Cummings assist in the 52nd minute. Colorado started pretty close to a full lineup:

Pickens
Kimura - Moor - Baudet - Earls
Smith - Mastroeni - LaBrocca - Thompson
Casey - Cummings

The following players all got subbed in in the second half:
Ceus, Valentino, Murillo, Holody, Clark, Larentowicz, LaBauex, Lorie, Noonan, Akpan

Notable is that this was the first preseason action for Clark, Earls, and Larentowicz. I think this starting 11 is almost the expected starters of everyone was healthy. If Clark and Larentowicz were healthy I think they would start over Thompson and LaBrocca.

Later in the day Colorado made three roster announcements and slipped a fourth in without an announcement.

• Facundo Diz has been released
• Draftee Chad Borak will not be offered a contract
• Ian Joyce has been signed
• Finally Ross LaBauex now appears on the roster page of the Rapids website, along with the other new Rapids

Joyce is an American GK who's been bouncing around the lower English leagues on an Italian passport since graduating from Seton Hall in 2007. He hasn't gotten any consistent playing time and is clearly a competitor for Steward Ceus in the backup GK role.

This leaves us with 26 rostered players and two trialists (Lorei and de la Cruz). The rumor is that the roster limit will be the same as last year, 24. This leaves the Rapids with 4 extra players, assuming no other surprises like Joyce. The 4 players who are going to be cut are most likely not going to be players who were just offered contracts. So my guesses:

Ross Schunk - Andre Akpan appears to have taken his slot.
Greg Dalby - Jeff Larentowicz, Nick LaBrocca, and Pablo Mastroeni give us plenty of d-mid depth
Rolan de la Cruz - Won't be offered a contract

The 4th player is a little more tricky. There seems to be numerous options. I could see it being Lorei, Palguta, Noonan, Ceus, or O'Brien (depending on the GA status). Right now my odds would be on Noonan or O'Brien being cut.

Facundo Diz Signed

The Rapids announced the signing of Argentine forward Facundo Diz today. He'll provide depth up front behind Casey and Cummings, and competition for Noonan to be the first striker off the bench. With this signing the Rapids are at the limit of 20 senior-roster players, so any more moves (Like adding Jamie Smith) will require somebody be traded or cut.

Rapids Get Trio of Reinforcements

The Denver Post is reporting that along with French defender Julian Baudet, the Rapids have also signed Argentine striker Facundo Diz and Scottish right-winger Jamie Smith. Diz would obviously give us much needed depth up front, while Smith seems to be a replacement for Terry Cooke who has reportedly been asked, and agreed, to not have his contract guaranteed until September instead of on the July 1st date all other MLS contracts are guaranteed on. Smith is reportedly a winger who likes to cut inside and go to goal, so a right-sided version of Colin Clark. As we all know, Cooke likes to stay outside and whip crosses in, so its obviously a shift in playing styles. I'm not sure if replacing Cooke is a great idea, but maybe Smith is an upgrade.