Soccer Fantasy Pro - Free MLS Fantasy Games and Expert Blogs

Soccer notes: MLS happenings and their fantasy effects

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Much has occurred in the two weeks since we last went through the biggest MLS news, so why waste space with some fancy intro? Lets get right to it.

The news: FCD hires Schellas Hyndman as new head coach.

The effect: It's still too early to tell if this move will pay off or not. In their first two games under the former SMU boss, the Hoops have one loss and one draw. They did show some fight on Thursday night to come back to secure a point on the road in Houston. The good news for FCD is that the Western Conference is pretty weak and they are only four points from the top of the conference. Kenny Cooper has been playing very well this season, but expect Hyndman to demand more from the team's other key players, namely Arturo Alvarez and Juan Toja.

The news: Eight MLS clubs head into U.S. Open Cup's Third Round

The effect: The hot summer months are the busiest times for MLS clubs and it's usually around this point that some of the younger or more inexperienced players start to pick up some minutes. Getting playing time in the Open Cup can be a good indication of things to come, so keep an eye on the competition for any lesser-known names that play major roles. Those are the players that are likely to get more of a chance in league matches. I'm thinking of players like Kyle Brown (Houston Dynamo) and Justin Braun (Chivas USA) -- these are guys that have some first-team minutes and could gain a lot of confidence (and more first-team appearances) with impressive showings in Open Cup play.

The news: The Wizards finally score a goal (sort of) and win a game.

The effect: Thanks to an own goal by Tony Beltran, Kansas City beats RSL 1-0 and ends a three-game goal drought and seven-game winless skid. But what does it mean? Well, not much frankly. If I were Curt Onalfo, I'd be a little concerned not only about my team's inability to score goals, but also about how up-to-date my resume was looking. This team has some attacking talent -- Argentines Claudio Lopez and Carlos Marinelli, Trinidadian Scott Sealy -- but they just aren't getting it done. They are solid defensively, but I'd stay away from anybody from the midfield and up as far as the fantasy game goes.

The news: D.C. United keeps winning, moves up Eastern Conference table.

The effect: After thoroughly demolishing the L.A. Galaxy Sunday in front of a national audience on ABC by a 4-1 score (and realistically, it could have been eight for the Black-and-Red), D.C. United is suddenly the hottest team in MLS. The four-time MLS Cup champs are up to third place in the East, thanks in no small part to Luciano Emilio, who is back in the race for MVP and Budweiser Golden Boot. Ben Olsen shocked many by making his first appearance of the season against the Gals, and his return -- if it lasts -- would be a huge boost for the team. As if they need one now... In summation: buy United attacking players!

The news: Spain tops Germany to win EURO 2008.

The effect: On MLS: none really. On the MLS Fantasy Pro: No excuses now. Your summer soccer watching fun is now going to be (almost) strictly focused on domestic play, so make your trades, get out to the stadiums and bring your "A" game. If you don't, you'll probably "B" sorry and "C" somebody else run away with the title. Man, that's just awful.

See ya next week!

Fantasy Pro: Who to buy and who to sell

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:15:00 GMT

This week's blog post is going to tell it like it is and not waste your time. If you want to be first in your MLS Fantasy Challenge league, simply read on.

Buy

Luciano Emilio (Forward, D.C. United) - I don't care how much he costs, the Brazilian is simply unstoppable right now. All of a sudden he's up to seven goals for the season. While the Screaming Eagles were calling for last year's MVP to be shipped off to some foreign land, Luciano Emilio was just biding his time. Well guess what ... his time has come.

Edson Buddle (Forward, Los Angeles Galaxy) - Thankfully for the Galaxy, Buddle wasn't called up to the U.S. national team for its pretty much meaningless World Cup qualifying match this weekend. Then again, perhaps if he'd been in the team the Americans would have put more than a single solitary goal past the hapless Barbadoans (Barbadoites? Barbituates? Whatever, you know what I mean). The point is, the kid has been scoring goals right and left.

Marco Velez (Defender, Toronto FC) - Never heard of him? It doesn't matter. TFC is suddenly looking like a pretty tough team to beat, especially when they're at home. Velez is an everyday player and he comes on the cheap. Those defensive shutout points add up after a while.

Javier Morales (Midfielder, Real Salt Lake) - Perhaps the most underrated playmaker in the league and without a doubt the best player on his mostly average team. Morales is silky smooth on the ball and has a little bit of bite in him. He's a bargain at a little over $50K and has already racked up over 140 points this season, near the pinnacle for players at his position.

Steve Cronin (Goalkeeper, Los Angeles Galaxy) - He may have let three balls by him this past weekend against Columbus, but Cronin is the starter on a winning team and costs just $30.5K. He's by no means the best 'keeper out there, but he gets the job done if you're in need of pinching a few pennies.

Sell

Zach Wells (Goalkeeper, D.C. United) - Head coach Tom Soehn hasn't been shy about letting it be known that he's in the market for help at this position. He should be, considering the veteran back-up's gift of a goal to John Cunliffe Sunday.

Dwayne De Rosario (Midfielder, Houston Dynamo) - Four goals and two assists in 12 appearances is beyond disappointing for the Canadian international. It seemed that he and Brian Ching were beginning to click a few weeks ago, but Houston couldn't find the net against a pretty pedestrial Coloardo Rapids side on Saturday. Maybe De Ro will show up when a spot in the postseason is truly on the line.

Juan Pablo Angel (Forward, New York Red Bulls) - Nothing has gone right for the Colombian so far this season. He keeps getting bitten by the injury bug and his strike partner left for greener pastures (and a much thicker wallet). J.P. was out Saturday with a hamstring injury, though his side managed to scratch out a victory on a goal from Kevin Goldthwaite and an assist from Sinisa Ubiparipovich. Try saying that five times fast.

James Riley (Defender, San Jose Earthquakes) - Another red card for Riley this weekend, this time coming as an insult to injury - literally. He was shown the dreaded red while being carried off the field. He's not the only problem the Quakes have, but he's certainly a part of it.

Soccer notes: MLS fantasy news, notes and tips

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:12:00 GMT

Welcome to Soccer Notes, a new blog here on SoccerFantasyPro.com that will update you with the news around Major League Soccer and give you insight on how it could affect your fantasy teams. This new blog will be updated bi-weekly, alternating with a more streamlined fantasy blog to give you hints and suggestions on specific players to buy or bench. But enough housekeeping; let's get down to business.

The news: U.S. national team tops Barbados 8-0 to kick off World Cup qualifying

With several MLS players playing big parts, Bob Bradley's side cruised to an easy victory Sunday at The Home Depot Center. Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo) notched a pair of goals and Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy) chipped in (literally) with a cheeky free kick. Brad Guzan (Chivas USA) and Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids) also saw action in the first World Cup 2010 qualifying match for the Americans. Perhaps the only bad news for the U.S. was Mastroeni's early departure due to an apparent hamstring injury. The second leg of the home-and-home series is set for June 22. Given the huge Leg 1 advantage, Bradley could choose to make some changes to his team before heading to the Caribbean. Keep an eye out for that news early in the week.

The news: Hat tricks for Emilio, Buddle

At long last, D.C. United seem to have found their form. On the shoulders of Luciano Emilio, who netted a hat trick, the Black-and-Red thumped the New York Red Bulls 4-1 Saturday night at a rain-soaked RFK Stadium. Not to be outdone, Edson Buddle recorded his second hat trick of the season in the Galaxy's 3-0 win over San Jose later that same night. D.C. has begun the climb toward the top of the Eastern Conference, though they still have a ways to go. The Galaxy, though, are the only Western team with a winning record and rightfully own the top spot in the conference.

The news: Say 'adiós' to Jozy

Jozy Altidore has officially signed with Villareal of Spain and is no longer a member of the New York Red Bulls. If he's still on your fantasy team, dump him ASAP and start shopping for replacements. It's not likely that he's going to pull a "Landon" and be back in a few weeks because he misses his girlfriend.

The news: The Kansas City Wizards can't win a game

Their last victory in league play came all the way back on April 20. With their next scheduled match set for this Saturday (June 21), that means it is going to be at least two months between victories, and that's only if they find a way to top Toronto FC at BMO Field, something no other team has done yet this season. Needless to say, you may want to look elsewhere for impact players and defensive help.

The news: Busy week ahead in MLS

Midweek games are great in the way that they break up the monotony of the work week. We're treated to three this week, including a pair on Wednesday night. The New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake all have two games in Week 13. That means twice as many chances for those players to pick up points for you.

WOW (Worst of the Week) Award: Barbados. No explanation needed.

Fantasy Pro: The Dreaded Red

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:56:00 GMT

Saturday's MLS games provided plenty of excitement, from D.C. United's stoppage-time winner to San Jose's big road win. But perhaps what most stuck out was the number of times the referees reached into their back pockets and pulled out the red cards. In fact, there were almost as many expulsions (seven) as there were goals (10) on Saturday. If you take out the scoreless (and red card-less) Wizards-RSL game, that's seven red cards in three games, an incredibly high number.

Red cards change games, and they certainly change the fantasy game. Even if you have a player that has a total stinker -- misses easy chances, can't connect a pass, gets burned defensively -- nothing is as bad as a player getting sent off. Why? Because having a stinker may be frustrating and may result in you missing out on some points that you think you should have, but receiving a red card will actually put you in reverse. In the Fantasy Pro game, red cards result in the docking of five points from your team.

Needless to say, I wasn't too pleased during Saturday's United-Fire thriller when Marcelo Gallardo and Brandon Prideaux got tangled up and sent for an early shower. I had the great misfortune of having BOTH players on my fantasy roster, so that's 10 points down the tubes. Luckily I also had Jaime Moreno to help ease my suffering a bit with a sliding finish. But if you have Brad Evans (Columbus), James Riley (San Jose), Bryan Namoff (D.C.), Alan Gordon (L.A.) or Facundo Erpen (Colorado) on your squad, you're also feeling the pain. Each saw the dreaded red on Saturday.

Is there a way to protect yourself from seeing points flushed down the toilet? Possibly, but there's obviously no way to guarantee it. Even solid, clean players sometimes are guilty of a couple of careless challenges in a game, but I do believe that there are certain players in MLS more prone to seeing red. It's not uncommon for supremely talented players to have a bit of a hot streak, as they are often the most passionate players and can have trouble controlling their emotions. That's definitely something to consider when picking those playmaking types. Gallardo is obviously one such player, as is Cuauhtemoc Blanco in Chicago. The latter's propensity to gripe and complain to referees does not at all endear him to the officials.

But while gifted attacking players can occasionally lose their heads and put their teams -- and your fantasy team -- at a disadvantage, the ones to really beware of are the hard-nosed defensive midfielders and fullbacks who rough people up for a living. Those include the likes of Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Danny O'Rourke (Columbus), Eddie Robinson (Houston) and Ricardo Clark (Houston). All have reputations for playing dirty at times, and those reputations are well earned. I can't tell you that their hot heads are reason enough to pass over them, but it's definitely something to keep in mind as you put your team together. I know I'll be considering it when I look for replacements for Gallardo and Prideaux heading into next week.

And now for a few tips for Week 12:

- Luciano Emilio (D.C. United) has three goals in his last three games, including Saturday's last-gasp brilliant effort to give the Black-and-Red a ginormous road win to emerge from the Eastern Conference basement. I think it's safe to say that last year's MVP and Golden Boot winner is back.

- Bullish forward Adam Cristman scored his second in as many games as New England took down FC Dallas Friday. The youngster is a steal at around $100K.

- Ronnie O'Brien's great service resulted in a pair of goals and a win for San Jose. Can he keep it up? More importantly, can his teammates keep finding the net with his swerving, dipping crosses?

- Since May 10, reigning MLS Cup champs Houston Dynamo have gotten at least one goal per game from either Dwayne De Rosario or Brian Ching. They combined to top Toronto on Sunday night in the Lone Star State. Not surprisingly, the club is moving on up in the Western Conference. Remember when they started the season with a six-game winless skid? It's easy to forget at this point.

- Don't forget, all of those red carded players mentioned above will be sitting on the bench next week. Joining them due to yellow card accumulation will be Jesse Marsch (Chivas USA) and Atiba Harris (Chivas USA).

- All 14 teams will be in action in Week 12, each with a single league match.

- The U.S. national team will begin World Cup qualifying Sunday. Several MLS players are sure to be called in. Visit ussoccer.com regularly to keep an eye open for the roster announcement from coach Bob Bradley.

WOW (Worst of the Week) Award - Taking the honor this week is your mom. Well, all of our moms -- Mother Nature. I suggested loading up on Houston and D.C. players for Week 11, since both had two games on the schedule last week. Mother Nature had other ideas and pounded them with a powerful thunderstorm Wednesday at RFK Stadium, resulting in the postponement of their match. So much for that plan...

Survivor Pro: Be aware of player movement

Staff — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:48:00 GMT

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." -- Ferris Bueller

This time of year, there are four major areas where a Survivor Pro players needs to focus their attention in order to make certain what players are on a given team's roster: discipline, injuries, international matches and transfers.

Let's look at the impact of each area in reverse order, starting with transfers. With the international window opening soon, there are going to be plenty of rumors swirling around about international players joining MLS teams and current MLS players leaving the league to play abroad. Some of these rumors are going to be just that -- rumors. But others, such as Wednesday's report about Jozy Altidore being sold to Villareal of La Liga, have more validity. Rumors of Alitdore's impending departure from the New York Red Bulls have been swirling since the offseason and there's no doubt that the teen-aged striker is one of the brightest talents to hit the U.S. international scene in a while.

While this move will likely have an adverse affect on New York's attack, there is a possibility that by moving Altidore another player on the team will now have a chance to shine. Maybe veterans Mike Magee or John Wolyniec step into the spotlight. Or maybe Colombian Oscar Echeverry pairs with countryman Juan Pablo Angel to form a dynamic duo. Whatever happens, as a Survivor Pro player, don't bank on it until you see some results first. Angel may put this team on his back like he did for stretches last season, but don't count on it with the way he's had to battle some nagging injuries in the early going this season. For now, stay away from the Red Bulls.

Now, on the other hand, there are rumors that former U.S. international striker Brian McBride is ready to come back to MLS after a solid stint with Fulham of the English Premier League. There's even the rumor that he would join the Chicago Fire. McBride playing target man for Cuauhtemoc Blanco? Could happen. Could also be too good to be true for the Section 8ers. One thing is for certain: McBride is on the lookout for a team. If he lands back in MLS, it will be a boon for whichever team is lucky enough to get him. We're not talking about bringing in Claudio Reyna here. McBride is the real deal and has been for some time. If the Fire managed to put together a deal to get him, Chicago instantly becomes a favorite to win MLS Cup and a favorite each week in Survivor Pro.

The international matches are going to be a bit trickier to follow in that you need to know how long a player is going to be in camp for their respective national teams and when they are likely to be released in order to return to their respective MLS clubs. Take for example USA's recent international matches against England and Spain. While coach Bob Bradley has relied on a heavy dose of international talent to comprise this squad, he has called in the following MLS players: Landon Donovan (LA), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Ricardo Clark (Houston), Maurice Edu (Toronto), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado) and Frankie Hejduk (Columbus).

While most of those players were able to return to their respective clubs to play last weekend and will be able to play in this weekend's matches, there's going to be plenty of matches missed with the Olympics and World Cup qualifying matches waiting to start in the next couple of weeks. If you pick a team like the Los Angeles Galaxy during a week when both Landon Donovan and David Beckham (yes, he still expects to be a "lion" for England) are out, then you could see your Survivor Pro streak come to an end pretty quickly.

The double-whammy is when one of those international players gets injured. Donovan is the latest example after developing a tight groin. Not only is he not playing in U.S. matches, but he'll also likely be out of the lineup for the Galaxy this week. Injuries are going to strike at any time. You've just got to keep an eye on the weekly MLS report and hope that the team that you've picked has a strong bench.

The last element to be aware of that might take a key player out of a match is discipline. Guys who play hard have already started accumulating points for their fouls or even been carded. It's better to know now if these guys are going to be available for your Survivor Pro-picked team or else you could wind up with your team looking at the wrong end of a result.

League life is moving pretty fast this time of year. If you don't stop to check the latest news on a given team, you might just miss out on a win in Survivor Pro.

With that said, let's look at our Top Choice and Best Bet for this week's matches.

D.C. United at Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, FOX Soccer Channel): We've got one team that exploded for four second-half goals last weekend against the Red Bulls and another that had one win and one draw in six matches in May. D.C. United hosts Houston Dynamo Wednesday and then gets the pleasure of traveling to Bridgeview, Ill., to take on the Fire, who already have a league-high six wins this season. A rested Blanco and Co. have a clear advantage over the Black-and-Red. Top Choice: Chicago Fire

Toronto FC at Houston Dynamo (8:30 p.m. ET, Sunday): Give a team some home games and watch their confidence grow. At least that's what appears to have happened in Toronto. TFC started the season with three road games and went 1-2-0. Since then, they've had six home games and in that span went 4-0-2, tied for the league's top mark at home. While this match is being played on the road, TFC should have Edu back from international duty and Houston will have played its second match within four games. Best Bet: Toronto FC

Fantasy Pro: Hectic summer begins

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:28:00 GMT

It is now June and Memorial Day is behind us so there is no denying that the craziest part of the 2008 MLS season is in full swing. As the temperature rises the schedule seems to grow more compact and every game grows in importance. With so much going on in the soccer world, it can be hard to not feel overwhelmed when tinkering with your fantasy squads each week.

In addition to regular season matches, most MLS teams will also be dealing with any or all of the following this summer: national team call-ups, the U.S. Open Cup, SuperLiga, CONCACAF Champions League, injuries, suspensions and maybe even the odd friendly against a world power. That's a lot to keep track of, but that's what we're here for. Here are some tips on how to navigate through this hectic time and leave you at or near the top of the pack when the leaves begin to change in a few months time.

First off, keep focused. It's easy to shut off for a week or two while you're watching EURO 2008 and out playing your own matches or coaching your kids. But all that really matters in our game is the MLS regular season games, so keep a close eye on that schedule and take a few minutes each week to make your moves.

Secondly, remember to keep your team fresh. Just like a real manager, you're going to need to shift players in and out of your game-day roster with the big picture in mind. The ultimate goal for any MLS team is an MLS Cup title, but all the other competitions are important too. Start paying attention now to the depth players on each team because there are just too many games for the same 11 to line up each time. Those bench players are going to play a major role and you want to know who is going to help you and who is going to take up space.

Third, stay current. As stated numerous times before, a quick glance at the injury and discipline reports can help you avoid bonehead blunders like picking a player who is going to be sitting out due to yellow card accumulation. Similarly, know who your players are and where they might also be called into action. World Cup qualifying is already underway and many players will be shuttling back and forth to play for club and country. Don't get stuck with somebody who is away and therefore has no chance of helping you earn points.

Keeping all this in mind, how about a few specific tips for this week?

- Beware of U.S. national team games against Spain (away) and Argentina (home) this week. Several MLS players will be playing for the Red, White & Blue instead of their club sides this week.

- There will be matches on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Be sure to make your moves early in the week.

- D.C. and Houston face off Wednesday and will be back in action on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Two games means two chances to get points from players on those teams. All other MLS teams will have one league match this week, with no teams on a bye week.

WOW (Worst of the Week) Award - This week's WOW Award goes to Fox Soccer Channel for choosing to cover the Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose Earthquakes game on its MLS Saturday broadcast. Why would they want to spotlight two of the worst teams in the league playing on a horrible synthetic surface made even worse by clearly visible football lines? It just doesn't paint the league in a good light.

Come back again next week when we'll return to our usual format of trash-talking and player bashing that you have come to know and love.

Survivor Pro: FCD searching everywhere for spark

Staff — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:11:00 GMT

Apologies for the delay in posting this week's blog, but we were just trying to gather our shock from Steve Morrow's sacking with FC Dallas.

We could maybe understand if it had been Tommy Soehn in D.C. given how underwhelming that team has performed thus far. Preki would have been another option given the preseason expectations for Chivas USA, but that would have been a drastic measure. But a guy whose team is three points out of first place through the first month and a half of the season? It doesn't make sense.

Soccernet's Steve Davis has a good take on a situation that reeks of desperation on the part of FCD General Manager Michael Hitchcock. Sure, the team was throttled by Edson Buddle's Galaxy (any other week that team belongs to Landon and Becks, but Buddle gets the nod for his hattrick) last week at Pizza Hut Park. But removing a coach doesn't necessarily translate into wins.

Marco Ferruzzi moves into the hot seat for the time being, becoming the Hoops interim head coach. We could also understand if Morrow was fired because Hitchcock had another star coach waiting in the wings. Ferruzzi ... yeah, you probably had to look up his bio too. The guy played a couple of games for the Tampa Bay Mutiny around the time the league was first born (read: plenty of guys became professionals who might never have sniffed the inside of a locker room otherwise) and he has been an assistant coach for FC Dallas since 2004.

Marco, we wish nothing but the best for you, but if you're being measured by the same unrealistic standards that Morrow was held to during his brief tenure, then your time at the helm could be real short. Then again, that's why you've got the "interim" tag.

So, where does this leave FC Dallas as they prepare to host Real Salt Lake on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET)? Dallas's offense has been ineffective over the last four games (0-3-1), scoring only twice. One of those losses came at the hands of RSL in Salt Lake City two weeks ago. Seeing as RSL has only scored five goals in its last five league matches, don't expect this one to be a barn-burner.

Do the player's feel responsible for getting their coach fired? Are they looking forward to playing under Ferruzzi (however long that's going to last -- over/under is four games)? Will this move produce the spark that Hitchcock envisioned?

Probably not. But for one week, and given that the opponent is RSL, FC Dallas has a got shot of putting up a W. The team called a players only meeting this week and while those can be cliched in sports, they do have the tendancy to work immediately. Just don't expect that to last. It's not like Ferruzzi is coming in with all new tactics and a lineup that resembles Manchester United (Cristiano Ronaldo, you're a lucky man). Top Choice: FC Dallas

As mentioned earlier, D.C. United has been miserable through the early going this season. Seriously, what happened to this team? One moment they are plucking obscure players from around the world and getting them to perform at high levels as a team (Troy Perkins, Bobby Boswell, Clyde Simms and Freddy Adu come to mind -- yes, the inclusion of the last name is a joke). The next moment, they've revamped nearly their entire lineup and are getting little help in goal from offseason acquisition Zach Wells.

This week, D.C. plays a home-and-home series with unlikely Eastern Conference rivals Toronto FC. The Men from BMO Field came away with a 1-0 win in Canada on Wednesday night with the second leg looming on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET) at RFK Stadium. So long as reigning league MVP Luciano Emilio remains on the side of a milk carton (1 goal in 8 games), D.C. United is going to have to find scoring from elsewhere. Until somebody on that team steps up, we're going to pick against them in every match. Best Bet: Toronto FC

Good luck and start streaking!

Fantasy Pro: Key players from Week 8

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:12:00 GMT

There was plenty of excitement across Major League Soccer in Week 8, which featured seven matches, 19 goals, two red cards and a whole lot of ups and downs in the fantasy world. Here this week is a no-frills assessment of the performances of several key players that found themselves in the middle of the action. Enjoy.

Carlos Marinelli (Kansas City Wizards) - The Argentinean playmaker made his first start since pulling a hamstring on April 12, though he saw some time off the bench the last couple of weeks. But as Marinelli approaches full fitness, he is also getting back to the best part of his game: passing. He has great forward options, particularly in countryman Claudio Lopez, and he certainly helps that Marinelli is often the go-to guy on set pieces, giving him a number of built-in assist chances per game. One of those paid off this weekend when Jimmy Conrad headed home a corner kick. Assessment: Buy

Zach Wells (D.C. United) - The struggles continued for the Black-and-Red Saturday, this time the 2007 Supporters' Shield winners blowing a one-goal lead on the road to go down to an injury-plagued Chivas USA 3-1. Was Wells the only one that should take the blame? No, but he didn't have a great game and could have done better on the ball that Jesse Marsch slid home to start the Chivas comeback. This is not Wells' first mistake of the season; don't be surprised if he finds himself watching at least one of D.C.'s games against Toronto FC this week. Assessment: Sell

Kheli Dube (New England Revolution) - Making his first start in MLS, Dube put the Revolution in front of the San Jose Earthquakes after just six minutes. A native of Zimbabwe, Dube is part of the new African movement going on in New England. The Coastal Carolina product is likely to see a good deal more time up front for New England in the coming weeks as Taylor Twellman returns to the treatment room with a sprained right ankle. Assessment: Buy

James Riley (San Jose Earthquakes) - Yes, James Riley now plays for the San Jose Earthquakes. You may have been confused if you saw his sweet finish at Gillette Stadium Saturday. A lovely looping header into an empty net was only soured by the fact that he put it into the wrong net. Riley is a very tenacious player, but he is prone to egregious errors in judgment that can lead to mistakes and harsh fouls. Perhaps more importantly, his team is at the bottom of the league table with just just four points. Assessment: Sell

Marcelo Gallardo (D.C. United) - Perhaps the only positive for United emerging from Saturday's loss in L.A. was the return of Gallardo, who scored his second spectacular goal of the season. The former Argentina international had to be pulled with a quarter-hour remaining as this was his first game back from injury, and without him in the game, D.C. crumbled yet again. This is a man that is not used to losing. Don't expect him to just stand by and let it keep happening. Assessment: Buy

Dave van den Bergh (New York Red Bulls) / Adrian Serioux (FC Dallas) - Each of these players let his frustration get the better of him Saturday. They lashed out with silly fouls and ended up with a red card and an early shower for their efforts. And if you are unlucky enough to have either (or even worse, both) on your roster, that means you got docked five points. As if that's not reason enough to dump them, the mandatory one-game suspension makes it a necessity. Assessment: Sell (and send to anger management classes)

Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy) - After completing his hat trick against FC Dallas Sunday, Buddle held up three fingers to show off his three goals on the afternoon. They also happen to be his first three goals of the season. With David Beckham and Landon Donovan also on the field, perhaps defenses can't concentrate on Buddle as much as they should. He's also sure to get plenty of good service. In any event, Buddle's sure to be in the starting lineup against the Wizards next Saturday when L.A. returns to The Home Depot Center. Assessment: Buy

WOW (Worst of the Week) Award - There were plenty of candidates on this week's short list, including Dave van den Bergh, Adrian Serioux, all of D.C. United and James Riley. However, the honor will go to the people of Denver, only 11,000 of whom showed up for the Rapids' Primetime Thursday match against regional rival Real Salt Lake. Come on, people! Even the Red Bulls drew more than that this week in a driving rainstorm. A great new stadium, a spectacular new player in Christian Gomez and a team at the top of the Western Conference. What more do you need?

A few quick tips to wrap things up:

* Toronto FC and D.C. United meet twice this week (Wednesday and Saturday) so players from those teams will have two chances to rack up points in Week 9.
* Keep an eye on the league Discipline report. The longer the season goes, the more players are going to pick up cautions and resulting suspensions.
* Don't miss next Sunday's Fire-Red Bulls match on Telefutura. It's the first meeting between the teams following Juan Carlos Osorio's abandonment of the Windy City for the Big Apple, and there's plenty of tension between the two clubs.

Survivor Pro: Revs' core tough to top

Staff — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:03:00 GMT

The New England Revolution have a target on their respective backs. The Buffalo Bills of MLS have been Eastern Conference Champions for the last three consecutive years, but have been unable to get over the hump to win the MLS Cup.

What Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner have been able to do in New England is no small feat. Do you know the last time that the Revolution were not in the Eastern Conference Finals? It was 2001. At that time, MLS was split into three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western), FC Dallas (Dallas Burn) and the New York Red Bulls (MetroStars) had different names, and the Tampa Bay Mutiny, Miami Fusion and first incarnation of the San Jose Earthquakes existed.

People have been calling for the end of the Revolution with each agonizing Cup defeat, particularly their '06 loss to Houston on penalty kicks. Somehow, though, they have remained strong and been able to make their run at the right time.

There are three players who have been with the Revs since that 2002 season that started their run of Eastern Conference Finals appearances, while a fourth and fifth have been main components since 2003 and 2004, respectively.

Jay Heaps, acquired from the now-defunct Miami Fusion during the 2001 season, has helped anchor an always-solid defensive front for New England. Steve Ralston, acquired from the Tampa Bay Mutiny dispersal draft, is the engine that drives the Revs offense from his midfield slot. In '02, Ralston had a career-high 19 assists, 11 of which came as a result of goals scored by another new member of the Revolution, Taylor Twellman. The New England attacker was signed before the '02 season after a stint in Europe and burst onto the MLS scene with a stunning 23 goals in his first season. Twellman has been a member of the Revolution ever since.

The next piece to the Revs puzzle is Grenadian Shalrie Joseph. The 6-foot-3 holding midfielder has been a mainstay for New England since his arrival in '03. Joseph plays a rugged game that challenges all opponents who dare to enter his area.

And the final member of this Fab Five who have held the Revs together over the last few years is goalkeeper Matt Reis. He is a perennial Best XI and Goalkeeper of the Year candidate, and one could argue that he should have seen more playing time with the U.S. national team (if goalkeeping had not been the U.S. team's strength, Reis likely would have many more caps).

So what does this have to do with Survivor Pro, you ask? Well, for the first time this young season, Twellman, Ralston, Heaps, Reis and Joseph were on the field at the same time during Sunday's 2-1 victory against Chivas USA. Twellman scored off a feed from Ralston in the second half, Reis picked up the win and Heaps and Joseph held the defense together.

That was Twellman's first game of the season after sitting out the first seven games while recovering from knee surgery. The injury bug has also effected Ralston, who has missed five games thus far.

Assuming that Twellman's ankle is not falling off, as he said it felt like it was after getting injured later in Sunday's game against Chivas, all five players will be back on the field again Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, HDNet) against the expansion San Jose Earthquakes at Gillette Stadium.

While Frank Yallop's Quakes are committed to team defense, the offense has scored a puny four goals in six games. Reis, Heaps and Joseph have a good chance at holding this team off the board, while the New England attack revs up (pun intended) with Ralston and Twellman leading the charge (though you may want to wait until Thursday night to make your Survivor Pro pick final to see if Twellman's injury status has changed). Top Choice: New England

For our other pick this week, it's tempting to go with Colorado at home against Real Salt Lake, but we'd prefer to avoid rivalry games (yes, the Rocky Mountain Cup is considered a rivalry). Also, we can't pick the Rapids on principal based upon Bouna Coundoul's complete whiff that led to Brian Ching's first goal of the season in Houston's 2-1 win over Colorado last week. Seriously Bouna, that was embarassing. Only Kevin Hartman has looked worse at trying to play the ball with his feet.

This pick may scare some of you, but on the surface, it looks like a sure thing to us. Dynamo finally got into the win column last week and got goals from Ching and Dwayne De Rosario. To some, it looks like the two-time defending MLS Cup champs may have found a way to turn their season around. To us, it looks like Houston just got plain lucky with Bouna's miscue and a questionable hand-ball violation in the box that led to De Ro's converted PK for the game-winner in the waning moments of the match. This week, Dynamo will be tested by one of the top Eastern Conference teams this season as they travel to Bridgeview, Ill., to take on the Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET). Coming off three-straight wins, the Fire will be in search of their first home win for May. Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett and Cuauhtemoc Blanco will shread Houston's defense in this match-up. Best Bet: Chicago

Good luck this week. Be selective and build up that streak. Remember, the Grand Prize is an XBox 360!

Fantasy Pro: Dealing with injuries

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:22:00 GMT

One of the toughest parts of the Fantasy Pro game is deciding how and when to alter your team when the injury bug bites. And it always bites. It would be virtually impossible to go the entire season without any of your first-choice players picking up a knock here or there.

And how do you keep up with how long they will be out of commission? Should you hang on and see if they bounce back in a week or sell and move on? Where can you find comparable replacements? To answer these questions, you'd pretty much need to be an expert. Or you could just read this blog. As my lovely girlfriend often reminds me, she is "book smart." I, on the other hand, am "Fantasy Soccer Smart." Read on and you will be, too.

As was mentioned in last week's blog entry, it's always important to check the league's official injury report, which can be found here or simply by clicking on Injuries from the SoccerFantasyPro.com homepage. It is generally updated twice a week -- once early in the week, and once closer to the weekend matches. Another good way to keep track of an injured player's rehab status is to check his team's Reserve Division results. It's not uncommon for a coach to give an injured man a trial run in a Reserve Division match prior to injecting him into the first team. It's kind of like a Minor League rehab start for a pitcher in baseball. It gets them back into the swing of things and helps them to develop match fitness.

But maybe you're "Fantasy Soccer Smart" also and are already on the ball. Then what? How do you deal with the tougher questions, like whether or not you should wait it out and see if maybe -- just maybe -- your favorite player can overcome his injury in time for the next week's game? My advice here, and it's advice I'd do well to heed on my own a bit more frequently, is to not take any chances. If you can find a similar type player in the same price range that is basically a lock to start, trade for him. If your injured man loads up on the magic spray and gets back on the field, just get a look at him over the weekend and see if you think he's really over that injury. If he is, you can always re-acquire him the next week.

Now let's say you're a big fan of a player who is out on a long injury layoff. How do you decide when the time is right to put him on your roster? Take Taylor Twellman, for example. The Revolution striker made his first appearance of the season Sunday, helping New England to a road win against Chivas USA. It's great that he came back and even better that he stepped right in with a game-winning goal, but I wouldn't have put him in my team prior to seeing him play at least once. And don't forget that he wasn't exactly coasting through this game; on several occasions Twellman was writhing on the ground in pain, and he was nearly substituted for an ankle injury he picked up in the second half. Personally, that's not the kind of risk I'd want to take heading into next week.

Other factors to consider are the injured player's age, his injury history, and the team's schedule. Claudio Reyna didn't even suit up for the Red Bulls last weekend. Given his age and history of being softer than a 10-year-old ballerina, I wouldn't take him even if he were free. No matter what his injury is, he's always slow to recover. Also, younger players will recuperate faster; the human body is just more resilient when it's younger, making it easy to shake off slight strains and sprains. And take a look at when the injured player's team is next playing. If he picked up a knock in training Monday and the team is playing Thursday, you may want to think even harder about making a change.

Keeping all these things in mind will help you accumulate more points. As I've said before, only those players on the field can earn points for you. Taking up a spot on your team with an injured player just isn't Smart -- Book or Fantasy Soccer.

WOW (Worst of the Week Award) -- It really should go to D.C. United again, as the Eastern Conference favorites are still looking like absolute crap. But thankfully Danleigh Borman of the New York Red Bulls scored his first MLS goal, providing us with about the most ridiculous looking celebration imaginable. Even commentator Shep Messing knew it was ugly, though there's no way Borman "lost his balance" while trying to do a flip. He knew what he was doing, which makes it even worse. See for yourself here.

Survivor Pro: Rapids find balance

Staff — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:33:00 GMT

Here's a challenge for you: Without looking, name the top goal-scorer for the Western Conference leading Colorado Rapids (3-3-0), a team that has scored 10 times in six games.

Cue the Jeopardy music.

A logical guess would be midfielder Christian Gomez, a former league MVP whom the Rapids acquired in the offseason from D.C. United. And that answer would be correct.

Another logical guess would be Herculez Gomez, Colorado's second-leading scorer last season. That, too, would be a correct answer.

We also would have accepted Terry Cooke, Colin Clark, Jose Burciaga Jr., Omar Cummings, John DiRaimondo, Facundo Erpen, Nick LaBrocca and Tom McManus. Now, that's you call a balanced attack. What might be even more surprising to some is that Fernando Clavijo's men have managed to get through the first month of the season without Jovan Kirovski (Colorado's leading scorer in '07 with six goals) and target man Conor Casey, who have both yet to play a minute this season due to injury.

There has been a different hero from nearly a different position every night. Of that group of 10 players who have scored for the Rapids, only two are forwards (McManus and Cummings). While Burciaga Jr. tends to play more like a midfielder at times, he and Erpen are defenders who have each come up with a single tally this season. Every player in this group was a starter in the match in which he scored.

Now, there might be something to be said when a team does not have a player with more than one goal through six games. With the exception of the San Jose Earthquakes (and they do not count as they have mustered a measly two goals thus far in their expansion season), every other team in the league has at least one player with two or more goals. But seeing as Colorado has managed to sustain an offense without two guys who have the potential to put the ball in the back of the net on a semi-regular basis (Casey hasn't shown much since arriving on the MLS stage last year after spending the first part of his professional career abroad) makes their early-season record look all that more impressive.

On Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel), the Rapids and their spread offense meet the Dynamo in Houston. Shockingly, Houston is the worst team in MLS. The Dynamo have yet to win a match this season (0-2-4) and have shown less punch then their minority owner. U.S. international Brian Ching and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario have scored a grand total of ZERO goals this season. It's not for a lack of trying either, as De Ro has fired a team-high 23 shots, including nine on goal. Geoff Cameron, Franco Caraccio (2) and Brad Davis have scored all of Houston's four goals this season.

So long as Colorado continues to strike a balance on offense and gets continued strong play from goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, the Rapids should avoid becoming Houston's first victim this season. Top Choice: Colorado

While it is tempting to lean on the Los Angeles Galaxy for this week's Best Bet in their match at The Home Depot Center against the New York Red Bulls, there's something about the combination of New York's early-season defense and L.A.'s inability to have anyone outside of David Beckham or Landon Donovan generate offense that scares us. Instead, there's an easier decision to make (at least on paper).

Also on Saturday (10 p.m ET), the Columbus Crew visit the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. By all accounts, last week's opener at Buck Shaw was a success with the Quakes garnering a scoreless draw with FC Dallas. This week, they won't have such luck against a surprisingly solid Crew team that is currently the best in MLS (5-1-0). Alejandro Moreno, who had his best MLS season in San Jose in 2005 with eight goals and four assists in 31 games, has had a hot start for the Crew, scoring four goals this season. Robbie Rogers has also found the back of the net three times for Sigi Schmid's charges on a team-high 11 shots. While San Jose continues to boast a strong defense anchored by goalkeeper Joe Cannon, the Quakes' attack leaves much to be desired. Best Bet: Columbus

Fantasy Pro: Playmakers to build a team around

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:57:00 GMT

It's probably the oldest sports cliché around: Defense wins championships. And there is some truth to it, but not necessarily in the fantasy sports world. Here, points win championships. And who earns the points? Playmakers, that's who.

But who is a "playmaker" and what makes them so special? In short, these are the team leaders that spur on their sides, the quarterback figure that lifts those around him, the special player with the special ability to be able to change a game with a single play. It's your classic No. 10 on the soccer field.

To be clear, I'm not just talking about pure goal-scorers. Instead, I'm focused on the creative player who produces chances for both himself and others, and more often than not these are attack-minded center midfielders. When it comes to Fantasy Pro, there is no player more valuable. It's all about accumulating points, with goals (15 points) and assists (10 points) the fastest way to do that. For that reason, a solid playmaker is probably the most important cog in your Fantasy Pro machine.

Shockingly, we're already over a month into the MLS season, so now is the perfect time to take an early look at these key components. For those of you joining the game late, be sure you choose wisely, because this is the engine that will make your fantasy team go. If you've been on the train all along, perhaps now is the time to make a change.

BUY NOW:

David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy) - The man means business this year. Last year was all about the hype; so far, 2008 is all about the game. In six matches, the former England captain has three goals and four assists. With Landon Donovan playing mostly as a forward, it's Beckham's ship to run, and so far he's doing a great job at it. Good thing for Galaxy fans that England isn't taking part in Euro 2008, because in his current form, Becks would likely have been in Fabio Capello's side.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew) - There's a reason he's a legend in his native Argentina. With magical passing skills and the ability to find the net on his own, he'll be a legend in Ohio too if he keeps the first-place Crew cruising. What has really helped Schelotto this season is that he has some offensive help. Don't expect the former Boca Juniors star to be slowing down any time soon.

Christian Gomez (Colorado Rapids) - Just when you think he's disappeared, the 2007 MVP brings a moment of brilliance, just as he did against his old mates D.C. United Sunday. A great passer and deadly on set pieces, Gomez so far has been worth the Designated Player slot that Colorado traded for his services. The only drawback is Colorado's lack of firepower up top to finish the chances Gomez creates.

SELL NOW:

Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo) - It's pretty unbelievable that the two-time defending champs are the worst team in the league this far into the season, and part of the problem is a lack of production from the Canadian midfielder. De Rosario is one of the most talented players in MLS, but he can't seem to get himself or his team going right now. It's unlikely that this slump will last the whole season, but right now, De Ro is not worth anywhere near the asking price.

Juan Toja (FC Dallas) - Maybe there's something in the water in Texas, but Toja, like De Ro above, is struggling a bit. He's a fine player, but with only a goal and an assist so far in 2008, it seems like you should get more than 36 points if you're spending over $100K.

Claudio Reyna (New York Red Bulls) - Even though he may not quite qualify as a true playmaker, this fact remains true: If you have Reyna, you need to sell him. His "lower leg injury" suffered in Toronto pretty much confirmed what the TFC fans near the corner flag stated quite clearly: Reyna is a has-been. Captain America was great during his prime, but it's time to walk away, my friend.

HOLD ON TO / KEEP AN EYE ON

Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) - The youngster has started pretty strongly with three goals and two assists, but he's also temperamental and was red carded a couple of weeks back. In case you forgot, that results in a docking of five points. Kljestan has lots of potential and could be a big player for club and country, and he's a pretty nice value at around $150K.

Marcelo Gallardo (D.C. United) - He's still adjusting to life in MLS, but there have been a few flashes of his brilliance, not least of all an absolutely cracking strike against RSL that rightfully earned him Goal of the Week honors. But so far the Argentinean has been inconsistent. He did next to nothing in the Mile High City Sunday. Then again, not one player for the Black-and-Red did anything impressive. See below.

Amado Guevara (Toronto FC) - I expected more from Guevara against his former team, the New York Red Bulls. He should have come out all guns blazing, leading the home team to a Primetime Thursday victory. That didn't happen. The conditions were not good, with rain soaking the FieldTurf up north. But the Honduran still leads the team in goals with two, even though he's only played in four matches.

WOW (Worst of the Week Award) - This week the honor goes to D.C. United, 2-0 losers on the road Sunday to the Colorado Rapids. Tom Soehn's side looked like a completely different team from the one that pounded RSL 4-1 a week earlier, and not one player did anything worthy of praise. On paper this team is one of the best in the league. In reality, the four-time MLS Cup champs are at the foot of the Eastern Conference.

A few quick tips to wrap up this post:

- The Kansas City Wizards and Toronto FC are both off this week. Consider replacing players on your roster from either team at least until next week.

- Don't get caught with injured or suspended players on your roster. Keep up to date by clicking the links to Injuries and Discipline on the left of the page.

- Don't drink tequila on am empty stomach. Even on Cinco de Mayo.

Adiós!

Survivor Pro: Steady East, Wild West

Staff — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:36:00 GMT

We wanted to take this week to expand upon Landon Donovan's incredible first month of the season (one of the best in recent memory by MLS standards) and how he has lifted our fantasy team to the top of its league, but that's the other guy's column. Our job in helping you find your way through Survivor Pro is much more difficult.

The first-month roller coaster MLS season has passed and what have we learned? Well ... not much other than the fact that once again, the Eastern Conference teams appear to be stronger than their Western Conference counterparts.

The last place team in the East, D.C. United, is 2-3-0 with a total of 6 points and is coming off of a convincing 4-1 win against Real Salt Lake at RFK Stadium. The third place team in the West, Colorado, is also 2-3-0 with a total of six points and is coming off a 2-1 loss in Chicago.

Two strong playoff contenders from last season have struggled from the start in the West (Chivas USA and two-time MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo), while the Kansas City Wizards and Toronto FC already have three wins each -- one more than any team in the Western Conference. Oh yeah, and the Columbus Crew are the best team in the league with a 4-1-0 mark.

You might have a better chance of knowing if Posh Spice is pregnant (which she is, according to the British tabloids, because she did not drink at her own birthday party last week. We suggest that they name him/her Hollywood Beckham.) than you would of knowing who has a good chance of winning from week to week in MLS at this point in the season.

Seeing the way the league has trended thus far, it might be wise to look for interconference match-ups and pick the Eastern Conference team, especially if the East team is at home. Of course, this week there is only one interconference match-up (which we'll get to in a second), while the other six matches are all in-conference affairs. What to do if that's the case? Well, we're going to flip a coin, but you're free to do what you like. Either way, you should try to stick with the team that's been hot and a team that's playing at home. For this week, two teams (Toronto and Columbus) would fit that description -- but we're not ready to get out on that limb yet and make either team our Best Bet or Top Choice for the week.

That said, here's who we like for this week's picks:

Chicago Fire at New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday) -- Both teams are coming off solid road wins against Western Conference opponents (Chicago beat Colorado and New England beat FC Dallas), but the tide should turn in favor to the Revolution for this match. These two teams did meet earlier this season and the Fire spanked the Revs 4-0 at Bridgeview. But there's a couple of reasons why we discount that result: 1. The game was played in a tsunami and we all know how unpredictable soccer can be when played in wet conditions. 2. It was the Fire's home opener. New England is finally starting to get healthy after an early-season bout with injuries. Starting defender Chris Albright and veteran midfielder Steve Ralston should be available for Steve Nicol's charges. Jeff Larentowicz and Sainey Nyassi may also be ack for the Revs. Even if only two of those four players are back, look for the Revs to exact some revenge on Chicago. Best Bet: New England

D.C. United at Colorado Rapids (3 p.m. ET, Sunday) -- Maybe we're putting too much stock in a single result, but D.C.'s win last week against RSL was pretty convincing. Jaime Moreno found his scoring touch and the rest of the team finally seemed to jel. Colorado has lost two consecutive matches and the offense has sputtered since scoring four goals in their season opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy. We're all over the Eastern Conference right now, so let's ride that one out. Top Choice: D.C. United

Best of luck and don't forget what it is that you're playing for. Also, if you want to humor yourself, type "Posh Spice" into Google News search. You'll not only learn that she's pregnant, but that she also has seen her fashion line tank; Tom Cruise is concerned with her influence over Katie Holmes; motherhood has helped heal the rift between Posh and Ginger Spice; and she avoids Botox injections for her own wrinkle-reducing treatment. Will wonders never cease?

Fantasy Pro: O rookies, where art thou?

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:17:00 GMT

Usually by this point in the season there is at least one rookie who has grabbed some attention, one player that people are starting to take notice of, one player that gets the early jump on the Rookie of the Year race. But not so in 2008. It seems that the trend now is for MLS teams to turn to foreign talent more so than to the college products, and who can blame them? For all its excitement, the college game is certainly not the great producer of talent in soccer like it is in just about every other mainstream American sport. Which brings us to the question on everybody's mind: Why do they call it the SuperDraft if it's not very Super?

Well, maybe that wasn't the question on everybody's mind, but it's a decent one. As the league continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how the American college players fair in the league. So far this season, it hasn't looked too great. Sure, it's early, and I have no doubt that there are some talented rookies among the MLS teams, but is the next Ben Olsen or Clint Dempsey out there? And perhaps more importantly, at least here, is this question: What does this have to do with Fantasy Pro?

Frankly put, the rookies in this game come pretty damn cheap. If you can find the right one, you could be in for a nice surprise. Where you turn is up to you, but perhaps one of these players is poised for a breakthrough.

Chance Myers (Defender, Kansas City Wizards) - The UCLA product has played in four games for the Wizards so far this season, including 90 last weekend in Toronto. Though Kansas City fell on the road, Curt Onalfo seems to have put together a pretty solid squad, especially in the back. They've earned shutouts in half of their games so far, so taking a 'chance' on Myers is probably a pretty good idea. Nice pun, huh?

Luke Sassano (Defender, New York Red Bulls) - Here's another California product (Berkeley) defender who has jumped right into the fray. He also went the distance this weekend, helping the Red Bulls to a 2-0 victory over the expansion Earthquakes. New York's defense is likely a bit more suspect than Kansas City's, but Sassano, who was a third-round pick in this year's (not so Super) draft, looks set to rack up some serious minutes. It doesn't hurt that coach Osorio's options are pretty limited.

Shea Salinas (Midfielder, San Jose Earthquakes) - No, I haven't forgotten about the sitter that he shanked a couple of weeks ago in the Quakes' home opener. But I'm still pretty high on this kid. He's got a bit of creative flair and he's not afraid to take people on. He came to MLS through Furman University, which also provided us with the aforementioned Dempsey. Salinas only got a few minutes against the Bulls Sunday, but as he's playing for a side that is struggling, he's sure to get more chances. He could be a late bloomer though; I can see him needing a season or two to get used to the pro game.

Geoff Cameron (Midfielder, Houston Dynamo) - Cameron has one goal in four appearances as a rookie, but that one goal was a scorcher. Given how badly the defending champions are playing right now, they could use some more help from the Rhode Island product. If you have an extra spot in the midfield that needs to be filled and very little money to work with, he's a good candidate to keep in mind. He may even blast another shot or two into the net for you.

Dan Stratford (Midfielder, D.C. United) - The former Fulham Reserve and West Virginia player did it all Saturday night against RSL. He made his first pro start, he passed the ball out of bounds, he failed to win 50-50 challenges, and he even got exposed on defense. Then he got substituted. And best of all, he did it all before halftime! There's no other way to put it: Stratford was horrible, and the fact that he got the hook five minutes before the break -- using the Black-and-Red's second substitution in the opening stanza, no less -- proves that my assessment is not skewed. Dan, that guy who yelled "YOU'RE HORRIBLE!" as you left the field on Saturday ... yeah, that was me.

Stephen King (Midfielder, Chicago Fire) - I bet you think I'm going to make some joke about the horror writer, but I'm not. It's too easy. Even Shea Salinas could put that one away. However, King had a stellar college career at perennial powerhouse Maryland and has already made four appearances for the Fire. He's likely got a long pro life ahead of him, but it remains to be seen if he's got the stuff to make much difference as a rook. Anything is possible.

Any of the players above could go on a tear, light things up and run away with the Rookie of the Year Award. Or it could be somebody not on this list. Or they could spend the rest of the 2008 campaign in the Reserve Division, only to fade away into obscurity and grad school in 2009. But you have to take the gamble to have any chance of winning big. Go ahead, give it a shot. My money's on Stratford.

WOW (Worst of the Week) Award - It was very tempting to continue my tirade against Dan Stratford here, and he comes in a close second for this week's award. But as horrible as he was, this week the honor of Worst of the Week must go to the Houston Dynamo. The two-time defending MLS Cup champs are the only team in the league still without a victory. That's not good. The season is a marathon and not a sprint, and the kick at the end is extremely important. Yet if Dom Kinnear can't get things going soon, his side may just be out of the race by the midway point. Don't count on it though.

See ya next week, and good luck.

Survivor Pro: Be selective

Staff — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:59:00 GMT

We hate to break this to you, but it's time that someone said something: You're not as smart as you think you are. Come to think of it, neither are we.

What are we talking about? Picking winners from MLS games, of course!

In case you have not heard, the stakes have been raised for all of you playing Survivor Pro. Just try not to go all Gordon Gecko and overstep on some of your picks in an effort
to reach one of the prize levels.

Here's the skinny on the prize levels:

Streaks: Prizes
5-game: Survivor Pro T-shirt
10-game: FIFA 08 game
15-game: PSP System
20-game: XBox 360

In order to succeed at this game you should consider being selective with your picks. Remember the '80s game show "Press Your Luck"? Well, in this case, the Whammy is a loss or a tie and so far there have been quite a few Whammies out there.

Of course, we're not immune to this feeling of "just one more right selection and I'm that much further ahead of the pack." Just last week we went a bit out on a limb and picked Columbus over D.C. United at RFK Stadium and Toronto FC over Real Salt Lake in TFC's home opener. Both picks won ... but what did we do? We pressed our luck by taking Colorado at home against a winless expansion team -- only to see the expansion team walk away with a victory.

You've got to pick your spots. There's going to be some weeks when you can make 3 or 4 selections with confidence. And then there are other weeks where you're going to have a difficult time in just picking one team to win.

This upcoming week is filled with a number of even match-ups (at least on paper):

- On Sunday, two teams with no offense, but solid defense play at Giants Stadium (San Jose vs. New York).

- On Saturday, the two-time defending champions, playing without one of their stallwart defenders, heads to Columbus in search of their first win on the season against a team that has rushed out to a 3-1-0 mark (Houston vs. Columbus).

- RSL may not have much in the way of scorers, but D.C. United's revamped lineup hasn't exactly been potent in the season's early going.

- L.A. Galaxy vs. Chivas USA meet in the first Honda Super Clasico of the year.

Tough week, right? Well, that's why we're going to limit our selections this week to one Best Bet and one Top Choice.

New England Revolution at FC Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET, Thursday): The Revs, playing with 10 men for a good portion of the match, are coming off a hard-fought draw against the New York Red Bulls. The team has traded veteran Joe Franchino (though he appeared to be phased out of coach Steve Nicol's rotation) to L.A. and starting forward Mauricio Castro will not play due to his red card the previous week. Meanwhile, FC Dallas has strung together two consecutive wins over Chivas USA and New York, and remains the only unbeaten team in MLS (2-0-2). Teamwork is guiding the Hoops thus far and look for it to continue against a disjointed Revolution squad. Best Bet: FC Dallas

Kansas City Wizards at Toronto FC (3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday): Coaches in any sport always try to prepare their team to avoid "the let-down" following a big win. There's a tendancy for players to dwell on their accomplishments from the previous game vs. respecting their current opponents. Laurent Robert gave TFC a big win in their home opener last week against RSL. Don't expect the same result this week against a Wizards club that has played like one of the best in the league. Top Choice: Kansas City

Best of luck building up those win streaks.