Rapids Class VI

Getting Bang for your Buck!

We're now three games in, with the same starting lineup for each match. We're on top of the West and have three points on the road. Each of the eleven starters has played a vital road in at least one, if not all of the games, and Rapids fans are finding pride in new players wearing the Rapids shield.

Everyone knew Christian Gomez was going to be pivotal to the season. Rapids fans are very familiar with Terry Cook and the emergence of 2007 CVI Player of the Year Bouna Condoul. Colin Clark's star continues to grow of the left flank with a sprinkling of US National Team whispers. Defenders Jose Burciaga, Jr. 's skill has been well known throughout MLS (well except Kansas City apparently) and Facundo Erpen arrived with some fanfare and he's shown fans why.

But this team is showing incredible chemistry, teamwork, and skill with some players nobody outside of Denver new off. The product of Coaches Fernando Clavijo and John Murphy's believe in the utilizing the Reserve League Team. RB Kosuke Kimura, CB Stephen Keel, Striker Omar Cummings, DM Nick LaBrocca, and DM John DiRaimondo. The five key players make $33K or less each. The entire starting line up for the first three games amounts to less than $600K if you don't include the Rapids highest paid player, Christian Gomez. Now that is getting bang for your buck!

It's not all sunshine for everyone however. Team sources have explained the entirety of the transaction to bring Tam McManus to the Rapids to Class VI. Very smartly, the team kept cap space for an extra player in case someone had to go onto the disabled list. Players on the DL still count against the cap, but you may add a player to the roster, who also goes against the cap, in his place.

Adding McManus caused the Rapids to have an extra player on the Senior Roster, necessitating someone getting waived. That player was Dan Gargan. Since one player came off the DL, they needed to waive another player.

But here's the move you may not have noticed. To gain another spot on the Senior Roster, the team demoted a player to the Developmental Roster, and then cut Developmental Player Scott Campbell. The demoted player has been on the bench the last two games, defender Jordan Harvey.

Posted by mark at April 13, 2008 11:46 PM