The Union were backed into their first order of off-season roster duty on Monday night, as they released their 11-man MLS 2011 Expansion Draft protection list.
Included in this group is Danny Califf, Brian Carroll, Gabriel Farfan, Michael Farfan, Sebastien Le Toux, Keon Daniel, Faryd Mondragon, Danny Mwanga, Roger Torres, Carlos Valdes and Sheanon Williams. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath, Jack McInerney and Amobi Okugo were automatically protected by them owning Generation Adidas status. Zach Pfeffer was also shielded from selection by his Homegrown status.
Monday marked the deadline in which all 18 MLS teams needed to submit their protection list. The leagues 19th team, the Montreal Impact, will select 10 players on Wednesday at 2 p.m. The Impact can not choose more than one player per team and by only selecting 10 men from 18 teams, the Union may come away unscathed.
In expansion drafts, however, its often not who is listed but who is left off that makes headlines. And thats no different with the Union. Not seen on the protected list is midfielders Freddy Adu, Velkjo Paunovic or Justin Mapp, three big names, who played a major role in the Unions 2011 season.
Adu, who was acquired on an overseas transfer in the middle of last season, is the Unions biggest name but will likely be protected by his salary that reaches a little over 500,000. Typically, high-salary players are not targeted by expansion teams. Paunovic makes considerably less than Adu at just under 100,000, but at 34 years old, likely wont be appealing to a club looking to stock young talent.
In an unprotected group that also features Kyle Nakazawa, Stefani Miglioranzi and Ryan Richter, Mapp would be the most attractive selection by the Impact. The veteran midfielder is just 27 years old and a former Chicago Fire teammate of Impact coach Jesse Marsch.
Mapp was likely left unprotected because of the plethora of talent the Union have amassed in the middle. With Amobi Okugo (Generation Adidas), Zach Pfeffer (Homegrown Player Status) and the protection of Daniel, Carroll, Torres and the Farfan brothers, midfield is a point of depth for the Union and they leaned on it heavily in their selections.
E-mail Ryan Bright at ryanbright13@gmail.com.