Season Preview: Analyzing the Draft

The draft is over and the BSL season is preparing to kick off on March eighth along with MLS. Rose City will face last year's newbies Orange County in Week One and the Boys in Red are prepared to bring it. First though, let's take a look at the draft through the eyes of the Flyers coach.

Rose City's draft this year is almost certainly the best group put together to kick off a season in the three years the Flyers have been around. The inaugural draft class was downright bad as has been noted here and elsewhere. The first pick produced one point all season and the BSL Cup was won by the tireless work of guys who came on board in the middle of the season. Perhaps more important than anyone else from that group is Marco Di Vaio who still occupies one of Rose City's DP slots. Year two was a stronger class on paper, but too large a percentage of the picks spent time on the bench injured, especially at the beginning of the year. Guys like Alan Gordon and Martin Rivero, while having a strong pedigree didn't see the field often enough to make the impact they needed to.

This year's class appears to be different. There are a few risks that were taken in full knowledge, but, top to bottom, the group is far more capable of scoring goals in large quantities than any Flyers team before.

Marco Di Vaio (F - MTL) - The headliner, club favorite, member of the old guard. Di Vaio challenged for the Golden Boot in MLS last season, putting twenty goals in the net and he's expected to do it again. It may be Marco's last season of professional soccer, but he's still got it when it comes to finding space, hanging off a defender's shoulder, and putting it on frame. Look for him to put up numbers for Rose City.

Diego Fagundez

Diego Fagundez (F - NE) - The newcomer, the kid, the hope for the future. Fagundez is only nineteen, but he's already proven that he knows what he's doing. He scored twenty points in the BSL last year, just two short of Di Vaio, and he's the main target for the attack in New England. He's got a nose for goal and an entire, well improved New England team looking to get him the ball in dangerous spaces. Look for him to put up significant numbers this season and to stay with the Flyers for a long time to come.

Maxi Urruti (F - POR) - The wildcard. Urruti spent part of last season with Toronto before moving to Portland and joining the Timbers' forward corps. He scored just once. But he hasn't played anything close to a full season yet. With Ryan Johnson now plying his trade in China, Urruti is the closest thing the Timbers have to a target forward. Look for him to either be scoring big goals already or out on his ass inside of two months.

Giles Barnes

Giles Barnes (M - HOU) - The stalwart. Barnes isn't a forward, but that didn't stop him from being worth thirteen BSL points last season. He remains a steady rock in the midfield for Houston, one of MLS' most consistent teams. Look for him to make up for others when someone has a bye week or has to step out for a slight knock. He'll most likely be there all season long, chugging away. This guy was a steal for the fourth round.

Saer Sene (F - NE) - The risk. Sene won't be suiting up at the start of the season. He's still recovering from the horrific injury he suffered in the box last October. You're unlikely to see him in the Starting XI until at least May but, unlike the entire broken roster of last season, the Flyers are okay waiting this one out. He was good for ten points in just 1200 minutes last season so, if he even comes close to repeating that performance once he's back the risk will have been worth it. He was picked up very late.

Jaime Penedo (GK - LA) - The brick wall. Penedo rolled into LA last season and saved the Galaxy from themselves (and Carlo Cudicini). He performed well and, with a solid back line of guys like DeLaGarza and Gonzo in front of him and a full preseason with his team behind him, look for a lot of clean sheet points. No more keeper juggling for the Flyers. He was taken in Round Five while most others waited two or even three rounds later to pick up their netminders for just this reason.

Robbie Findley

Eric Alexander (M - RSL), Robbie Findley (M - RSL), Ned Grabavoy (M - RSL), Lamar Neagle (F - SEA), Marcelo Sarvas (M - LA), Jeff Larentowicz (M - CHI) - The boys. These guys are the meat of the club. They aren't flashy (though they all could become so, potentially) and they don't put up the numbers of guys that go in the first or second round but each of these guys are a threat to contribute to the scoreline any given week. This is a major improvement for Rose City who's previous rosters had a lot more chaff than this. Expect a higher APG this season mostly because of these guys right here. If anyone turns into a superstar, expect it to be Neagle, who had twelve BSL points last season. If anything stops him it'll be chemistry with Seattle's much turned-over roster.

Aurelien Collin (D - SKC), Jordan Harvey (D - VAN), Drew Moor (D - COL) - The defense. These three defenders all regularly get shots on goals or assists and, occasionally, will tap one in themselves on a set piece or a lucky sitter. They have the quality to cross into the box on the attack and pick up assists that way. They're also all extremely important to their teams. Collin did well enough last season to be Rose City's Retention selection. Expect them to see a lot of minutes. Don't look for them to score a lot, but every point counts.

Even the filler here, for lack of a better term, is of a higher quality than any previous Rose City team. Everyone has made a mark on the league and provides contributions to their home clubs. Even more importantly, they all saw regular minutes last season and, though that can sometimes change, it's an important starting place. You won't ever score points if you don't see the field. Were there guys who got away? Sure. That's the nature of the draft. However, there's a solid club here. Every season requires luck as well as skill, but this is a good jumping off point. There's a team in the now and some eyes cast toward the future as well. Look for Rose City to compete again. Sophomore slumps are for sophomores. If that's really true, look for a win over the Zodiac this coming weekend.