Rapids Salary Info - 2010

Lost in our obsession over the World Cup was the MLS Players Union release of the list of 2010 salaries. Its current as of the roster freeze date on June 14th.

These salaries are post-CBA, so they're guaranteed for the season already and the minimum is about $40K.

Here's the list of the current Colorado salaries. The first number is their base salary, the second number is their guaranteed salary for 2010 which includes things like the signing bonuses and such spread over the length of the contract. For comparison, the 2008 numbers are here and the 2009 numbers are here.

Ballouchy Mehdi M $ 88,800.00 $ 88,800.00

Baudet Julien D $ 168,000.00 $ 181,750.00

Casey Conor F $ 350,000.00 $ 350,000.00

Ceus Steward GK $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

Clark Colin M $ 89,250.00 $ 94,250.00

Cummings Omar F $ 71,500.00 $ 80,250.00

Earls Danny D-M $ 40,000.00 $ 41,250.00

Holody Mike D $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

Joyce Ian GK $ 54,000.00 $ 54,000.00

Kimura Kosuke D $ 57,750.00 $ 57,750.00

Labauex Ross M $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

Larentowicz Jeff D $ 150,000.00 $ 150,000.00

Lopez Claudio F $ 120,000.00 $ 120,000.00

Mastroeni Pablo M-D $ 255,000.00 $ 300,500.00

Moor Drew D $ 145,200.00 $ 162,388.89

Murillo Oscar D $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

O'Brien Ciaran M $ 75,000.00 $ 108,750.00*

Palguta Scott D $ 57,750.00 $ 57,750.00

Pickens Matt GK $ 135,000.00 $ 137,500.00

Schunk Ross F $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

Smith Jamie M $ 172,800.00 $ 182,800.00

Thompson Wells M $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00

Wynne Marvell D $ 66,500.00 $ 171,750.00

* = Generation Adidas player that does not count against the salary cap, only the roster limit

Cummings continues to be one of the best steals in MLS. Casey, along with Brian Ching, is the highest paid non-DP player in the league. Claudio Lopez is getting 120K to do essentially nothing so far. Jamie Smith is finally starting to earn his paycheck, but he's got a way to go to justify the 182K he's getting this year. Ballouchy actually took a salary cut, maybe that explains his better play this season.

Rapids Shake Off Rust, Find A Point

The Rapids got back into the swing of things in Houston. Much like the U.S. team the Rapids went down early and battled back to get a result. All the players showed rust from their down time and it became a matter of which team could get the gears turning first.

The Rapids started out slowly, and Houston made them pay with a 30-yard bomb off a corner kick from Danny Cruz. Casey made a poor attempt to stop it and Pickens was rooted to his spot. He may have been shielded but I think he could have done better. Right at halftime the Rapids leveled the score. A bad touch by defender Eddie Robinson allowed Ballouchy to steal the ball and run at goal. He dumped it to Casey, who with a nice step-over and some good footwork got Dynamo keeper Pat Onstad to go to ground, giving Casey the opportunity to line up his shot on an open net.

The second half was an end-to-end affair. The Rapids finally broke the deadlock off a Jamie Smith corner. Cummings pressed to get to the ball and forced Palmer to play it off his thigh for an own goal and a 2-1 lead. The Dynamo didn't go away though, almost tying it right back up off another Cruz bomb that deflected off of both posts before spinning back out into the field of play to be cleared Eventually some Keystone Kops defending left Ngwenya open at the penalty spot to put home the tying goal. Both teams had another couple of chances but couldn't find a winner.

My key to the game was which team could turn back on the fastest. Well neither one really did. Lots of sloppy play, especially late, and mistimed passes. Not a surprise coming off a break but something that needs to be fixed quickly.

Other Observations:

• Our 4+ year record of not winning when giving up the first goal continues, sadly.
  
• Jeff Larentowicz has to take most of the blame on the second Dynamo goal. He misplayed the ball starting the break, then got into a shoving match instead of tracking back, and it was the hole he was supposed to fill that Ngwenya found space in.
• The Rapids had a great shot at their first goal when a simple forward pass would have put Cummings in 1v1 on Onstand. Showing the rust Casey completely overcooked it giving Omar no play.
• Cummings tired quickly late. In his last few minutes his only plan seemed to be go at goal and fall down when touched, hoping to get a call.
• I'm a big Colin Clark fan, but I can't blame G.Smith for starting J.Smith. Clark is not back to 100% yet and J.Smith has not gotten an assist in the last 3 games.
• We need our backline to get healthy. The 4 we have are doing the job but we need the size of Baudet and the option of Kimura.
• Great to get a point on the road, but it hurts knowing we were close to 3.

Player of the Game: Mehdi Ballouchy. He had the assist on the first goal and was making dangerous runs all night. The 4-5-1 may not be the ideal formation for all of our players, but it seems to be what Ballouchy has been looking for.

Rapids Try To Short Out Dynamo

The MLS season gets re-started again tonight after the break for the World Cup group stage. American soccer fans are riding a high right n ow with Landon Donovan's goal against Algeria that put the U.S. into this afternoon's Round of 16 game against Ghana. Let's hope we can keep the ride going with a spot in the quarterfinals. After today's game the Rapids are in Houston tonight. Game time is 6:30pm and the game is on KWGN.

Injury Report:

OUT: DF Julien Baudet (L knee strain); MF Ciaran O'Brien (L hip sprain); FW Ross Schunk (R ACL tear); PROBABLE: DF Kosuke Kimura (L ankle stress fracture)

Discipline Report:

ONE CAUTION FROM SUSPENSION: Conor Casey

Houston is fairly healthy, with only one player listed out. The Rapids injury report is almost a week old and reports from training say that Baudet is looking better. My guess at the lineup:

Pickens

Wynne - Moor - Palguta - Earls

Larentowicz - Pablo

Cummings - Ballouchy - Clark

Casey

I'm betting that Smith leaves Baudet on the bench to heal for one more week, but otherwise sticks with the 4-5-1 he used during our 4-game undefeated streak before the break. This also gives him the ability to bring Julian in off the bench should we need help late..

Key To Look For: Which team can turn things back on. This was an odd two week break for the league and it almost feels like we're starting the season over. The team that can get back into its groove the quickest will have success tonight.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Conor Casey. This is a matchup of the two MLS strikers who thought they were going to South Africa, Casey and Ching. I think they both take inspiration from the U.S. and get on the scoreboard. With the break neither team will be hitting on all cylinders and the Rapids can get a point on the road.

Lets Light This Candle

The World Cup is here! Tomorrow we attempt to re-create the 'Shot Heard Round The World' as the U.S. plays England at 12:30 MDT. Rather than get buried by the numerous blogs pontificating over the World Cup I'll probably just let my blog go quiet for the next couple of weeks until the Rapids start up again. If something particular noteworthy happens in the World Cup or if the Rapids have some news I'm sure I'll have something to say though. Until then...

U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

Rapids Burn Fire For A Point

The Rapids played their worst game in about two months and still got away with a point last night. The game started on a down note as Julian Baudet was injured in a non-contact injury just 2 minutes into the game and replaced by Scott Palguta. There was only one bright note in the first half, Omar Cummings great strike from about 16 yards to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead. It was set up by a series of passes from Ballouchy and Casey. Other than that the Rapids looked awful, and gave up the tying goal within 5 minutes on yet another free kick. A dumb foul by Drew Moor just outside the box gave them an opportunity, and Ballouchy pulled a DeGuzman by jumping out of the wall and giving the ball the hole it needed to beat Pickens on the near post. right before half the constant pressure from the fire paid off again as Pappa was somehow unmarked int he box and took advantage of a rebound to give the Fire a 2-1 halftime lead.

Gary Smith made an adjustment at halftime, inserting Wells Thompson for Ross LaBauex and switching back to more of a 4-4-2. The team played better in this half, and the game turned into a balanced affair between the teams. Around the 70th minute the Fire started pulling back into a shell to preserve their lead and the Rapids were quick to take advantage. Colorado had multiple chances, including a volley from Casey off an Earls cross and another Omar Cummings shot that should have gone in, but managed to find the eighth of an inch of the inside of the far post that would deflect the ball out of the goal. Jamie Smith was inserted late and once again the substitution would pay off. 1 minute into stoppage time Smith cut inside, launched a good cross tot he far post, and Casey got free of his man to head home the tying goal. If Casey had missed, Drew Moor was waiting unmarked to clean up. The Rapids were lucky to get the draw, but sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

My key to the game was midfield control, something the Rapids lacked all game. Marco Pappa had free run of the midfield, and scored a brace. The Rapids really missed Pablo last night.

Other Observations:

• The second fire goal was the first legit goal the Rapids game up from the run of play this season. The only other one was the goal in San Jose, which after further review was offside.
  
• The Rapids are 1 point off the "win at home, draw on the road" maxim going into the break.
• Back to back games Jamie Smith served up a late-goal scoring cross. Maybe he should be playing more?
• Ross LaBauex, ouch. He needs more time before starting again.
• Pablo was really missed last night. There was no stopper in midfield. Neither LaBauex or Larentowictz look ready to step into his shoes.
• Great goal and assist by Casey, but he also failed to get a number of good feeds on goal.
• Danny Earls got burned badly last night. He really needs to get his game back.
• Hopefully the 18 day break will allow Baudet to fully heal. Palguta did a good job coming on unexpectedly, but the defense really needs a leader back there.

Player of the Game: Matt Pickens. He had 2 or 3 huge reaction saves that kept the Rapids close enough to steal a point. Omar Cummings, with a goal and another couple of dangerous shots, was a close second.