The Kansas City Royals today released the start times for all their games this season. This relates to Sporting KC because with Sporting's new television partnership with the Fox Sports Kansas City, the two are on the same network. In the agreement between Sporting KC and FSKC, should there be a conflict with the Royals, Sporting would be the ones that would jump to Fox Sports Kansas City Plus. When the schedule came out I'd mentioned that there were 19 dates when Sporting KC was not on national television that they and the Royals played on the same day, so how many times is Sporting set to move to Fox Sports Midwest Plus because of the Royals? Quite a bit by looking at the schedule.
Taking into account the Royals pregame and postgame shows that will presumably also bump Sporting KC, there are really only a couple handful of games that will be shown in their entirety on FSKC. KC has six games that are not on national television that don't conflict with a KC Royals game, three before the season starts (3/4 at DC, 3/11 vs Dallas, 3/18 vs San Jose), one in the middle of the season (7/6 vs Philadelphia), and two at the end of the season (10/15 vs Houston, 10/22 vs Salt Lake). The other 19 games are played on the same day as the Royals play. Sporting has said now that the Royals schedule is finalized, the club will be able to work with FSKC to finalize their television schedule.
Baseball games last just under three hours on average based on some of the searching that I've done, so factoring three hours in for the game, plus a half hour pregame and postgame show and the Royals take up at least a four hour time slot for every day they play. With a four hour time window, that means for every game where the Royals start before Sporting KC, Sporting will be starting on Fox Sports Midwest Plus, and then may jump over to FSKC once Royals post game is finished up (and vice versa if Sporting kick off first) according to what Thad Bell has heard. Of the 19 days, 13 of them have the Royals first pitch before KC starts, two times the Royals start after Sporting, and there are still four games that are currently TBD for the start time. For the games where the Royals start after, soccer games are generally about two hours and Sporting has a half hour pre-game and postgame show as well, meaning they'll need a three hour window for Sporting KC broadcasts.
So looking at the schedule, I see just a few days where both Sporting and the Royals play on the same day without stepping on each other’s toes. The first day is June 24th, when Sporting KC is in LA for a 9:30 kick off while the Royals have a 1:15 first pitch in Toronto against the Blue Jays. A three hour game for the Royals plus a half hour post game should see Sporting fine for their 9:30 kick off. The second one is going to be tight, but if the Royals play a fast game, May 27th. The Sporting has a 7pm kick off against the Colorado Rapids in Denver while the Royals have a 3:10 game at the Cleveland Indians. If that game can go under three hours, postgame would be done just before Sporting pregame starts, but if the Royals game runs long, pregame for SKC at least could be bumped. The third game is actually one where Sporting plays first, August 12th, when Sporting travels to Seattle for a 3pm kick off. The Royals first pitch is at 6:10 against the White Sox. Sporting's broadcast would start at 2:30, kickoff at 3, postgame around 5 should see it finish up just in time for Royals pregame to start on FSKC at 5:30, although it could be tight if things run long for the soccer game.
There is one other game that likely will work as well for Sporting and the Royal. Sporting's lone trip to Vancouver on May 20th is currently one of KC's four to be determined start times on the list due to Canadian television, the Royals meanwhile have a 1:10 first pitch at the Minnesota Twins. If the game in Vancouver follows what happened last year, the game kick off at 9:30 Central Time. This would make the trip to Vancouver like the trip to LA, as the Royals should be done by the time Sporting pregame is scheduled to start.
The other 15 games though look like they will be broadcasted (at least in part) on Fox Sports Midwest Plus and all of the games will be available via the Fox Sports Go mobile app. The good news is that most cable providers seem to have Fox Sports Midwest Plus available for customers to watch the games. The annoying thing for Sporting fans may be if FSKC decides to do like what Bell mentioned, and switch Sporting KC from one channel to another in the middle of a game. This is especially true if you're someone who likes to go out to watch away games.
Here's the full list of conflicts and start times.
4/15
Sporting KC at Portland 9:30
KC Royals vs Anaheim 6:15
4/22
Sporting KC at Dallas 7
KC Royals at Texas 7:05
4/29
Sporting KC vs Salt Lake 7:30
KC Royals vs Minnesota 6:15
5/3
Sporting KC vs New York 7:30
KC Royals vs Chicago White Sox 7:15
5/13
Sporting KC vs Orlando 6:30
KC Royals vs Baltimore 6:15
5/17
Sporting KC vs Seattle 7:30
KC Royals vs New York 7:15
5/20
Sporting KC at Vancouver TBD
KC Royals at Minnesota 1:10
5/27
Sporting KC at Colorado 7
KC Royals at Cleveland 3:10
6/10
Sporting KC vs Montreal TBD
KC Royals at San Diego 3:10
6/17
Sporting KC at San Jose 8
KC Royals at Anaheim 7:15
6/24
Sporting KC at Los Angeles 9:30
KC Royals vs Toronto 1:15
7/22
Sporting KC at Salt Lake 9
KC Royals vs Chicago 6:15
7/29
Sporting KC vs Chicago 7:30
KC Royals at Boston 6:10
8/12
Sporting KC at Seattle 3
KC Royals at Chicago 6:10
8/19
Sporting KC vs Dallas 7:30
KC Royals vs Cleveland 6:15
8/26
Sporting KC at Houston 8
KC Royals at Cleveland 6:10
9/6
Sporting KC at NYCFC TBD
KC Royals at Detroit 6:10
9/16
Sporting KC vs New England 7:30
KC Royals at Cleveland 6:10
9:30
Sporting KC vs Vancouver TBD
KC Royals vs Arizona 6:15
Showing posts with label 2017 season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 season. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Monday, January 16, 2017
A Look at Sporting's Roster Before Preseason
Sporting Kansas City kicks off preseason in Arizona in a week, with the season just around the corner, Sporting already has a fairly full complement of players on their roster. Currently the club has 27 of 28 roster spots filled and also has the club's first round pick, Colton Storm heading into preseason. On the surface it would seem that there are not a lot of question marks regarding who is going to be on the roster in 2017. With preseason looming, here's a look at the Sporting KC roster as it stands right now in terms of depth.
Goalkeeper
Returning: Tim Melia
In: Andrew Dykstra, Adrian Zendejas
Out: Alec Kann, Jon Kempin
Probably the straightest forward of KC's positions heading into 2017, but also one with some of the most turnover from the 2016. Out is Alec Kann, last season's back up as he was selected by Atlanta United in the expansion draft, and KC's first homegrown player, Jon Kempin. In their place, KC brought in Andrew Dykstra through the Re-Entry Draft and Adrian Zendejas from the Swope Park Rangers.
Tim Melia is probably still the expected starter in goal for Kansas City in 2017; he currently has a 22-19-9 record in goal for KC. He's likely be backed up primarily by Dykstra, who KC selected in the second stage of the Re-Entry draft. Dykstra fell down the depth chart last season at DC United after allowing four goals in DC's opener against LA. Ben Olsen went with Travis Worra the next week and Worra performed well enough to keep the starting job over Dykstra until Bill Hamid was back, then becoming the primary back up. Dykstra has been a career back up in his MLS career and will provide some more experience in goal for competitions like the US Open Cup when Melia is likely to get a break. Zendejas will likely fill the same role as Kempin did last year. He'll go on loan to the Swope Park Rangers where he'll be the presumed starter. He won't return to play for Sporting unless there is an injury to Dykstra or Melia, allowing him to get games, which is the most important thing for him now.
Depth chart
1. Melia
2. Dykstra
3. Zendejas
Defense
Returning: Saad Abdul-Salaam, Matt Besler, Kevin Ellis, Jimmy Medranda, Lawrence Olum, Ike Opara, Erik Palmer-Brown*, Seth Sinovic
In: Igor Juliao, Tyler Pasher, Colton Storm
Out: Chance Myers, Nuno Coelho
Kansas City wasn't a bad defensive team in 2016, they allowed the sixth fewest goals in the league in 2016, certainly not the level most fans have come to expect, but certainly not bad either. The issue for Kansas City last year was consistency in their center back pairing. I feel like a broken record the number of times I've said it, but KC used seven different center back combinations in 34 league games, no combination played more than 11 games together. Consistency at center back would make Kansas City better as a whole. KC returns four of five center backs from last season, plus the return of Erik Palmer-Brown from loan. On paper, it would seem that Matt Besler and Ike Opara are the favorites to start the season at center back together with Kevin Ellis, Lawrence Olum, and Palmer-Brown backing them up. After his return from loan, most Sporting fans seem excited about the prospect of Palmer-Brown winning the starting job in 2017, even though he'll miss a chunk of the preseason with the US U20 team for World Cup qualifying and possibly the U20 World Cup this summer. The problem could come this summer with Palmer-Brown and Matt Besler both potentially missing time while on national team duty, something that will cause more inconsistency with the back line.
All of KC's roster moves on defense this winter have been on the wings. Gone is veteran Chance Myers, whose return looked extremely unlikely at the end of the season, and became basically non-existent when the club brought Igor Juliao back on loan. Myers' time in KC was bookended by injury issues, but the stretch from 2011 through 2013 when he was healthy; there were very few right backs in the league better than him. He'll be remembered well for that time, but with Saad Abdul-Salaam taking his spot, there wasn't a reason to use his $200,000 plus cap hit on a reserve. Behind Abdul-Salaam is the returning Juliao, who hopefully has improved his defensive work while back in Brazil, as that was the trouble during his first stint with KC. After Juliao things are interesting as you have Graham Zusi, Sporting's right winger, but now playing right back with the US team, and showed well during his few experiences there with KC last season. He could certainly drop back to right back as well more regularly giving KC another option. That makes the acquisition of Colton Storm, a defender most people expect to play as a right back, all the more interesting with three other options there currently.
Storm could be an option at left back as well according to Peter Vermes, but KC isn't thin there either. The starting position at left back isn't as clear as on the right with Seth Sinovic and Jimmy Medranda both spending time at the position last year. Towards the end of the season, Sinovic was preferred to Medranda as the starter, and Besler looked much more comfortable with Sinovic next to him at left back compared to how he played with Medranda. If it comes down to a better unit, Medranda could be the one backing up Sinovic for the better of the back line as a whole. Then again, maybe a full preseason with Besler and Medranda working together would give the two a better partnership. At the same time you have comments from the team that they see Medranda's future up the field in a more attacking position, which could leave an opening behind Sinovic. Behind those two you could see a spot for Storm, as a third left back, but he could also be pushed down there because of the earlier signing of Tyler Pasher from the Swope Park Rangers. While Pasher played predominately as a winger for the Rangers, his lone appearance for Sporting KC last year, a CONCACAF Champions League game, came as the left back for Vermes. I have a feeling that Vermes sees Pasher as a hybrid that could play both positions at the MLS level. With his age Pasher could also be a candidate to spend a portion of the season on loan with SPR to get him more games and playing time. However it is, with KC's current depth at outside back, and Storm being without a contract right now, his chances of making the roster can't be guaranteed at this point.
Depth Chart
LB
1. Sinovic
2. Medranda
3/4. Pasher/Storm
CB
1. Besler
2. Opara
3. Ellis
4. Palmer-Brown
5. Olum
RB
1. Abdul-Salaam
2. Juliao
3. Zusi
4. Storm
Midfield
Returning: Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber, Benji Joya, Soni Mustivar, Lawrence Olum
In: Ilie Sanchez
Out: Paulo Nagamura, Emmanuel Appiah
Midfield is probably the one area that Kansas City really could stand to add further depth at this point. With the recent signing of Ilie Sanchez, KC now has six players who would predominately play midfield. Yes there are other options, like Graham Zusi, but right now these six are the depth for KC in midfield. Of the six of them, Benny Feilhaber and Roger Espinoza look firmly entrenched in their starting spots in Vermes' three man midfield. Behind both of them, it looks like the Sanchez addition is going to push Soni Mustivar the most of the three. Mustivar struggled at times last year with some of his passing; there were a few examples late in the season of him just playing the ball right to the other team. Competition for spots is certainly a good thing, as it'll lead to both raising their game.
Feilhaber and Espinoza though don't have a lot of competition to start over either, both have nice big contracts at this point, so while they could bring in some, these two look set to start. Behind them is Benji Joya, brought in late last season to the team, Joya made no league appearances, but did make one CCL appearance and in it looked calm and comfortable on the ball. He's mentioned liking to play deeper, but could be a good replacement for Feilhaber if need be. If Vermes wants to play him deeper, in more of Espinoza's role, he could drop Zusi back and slide him into the middle into Feilhaber's position.
Olum didn't see a lot of time in midfield for KC last season, spending most of his time on the field in defense, but he's still an option for Vermes in the midfield, although probably less now with the addition of Sanchez.
Depth Chart
A-mid
1. Feilhaber
2. Zusi
3. Joya
Box-to-Box
1. Espinoza
2. Feilhaber
3. Joya
D-mid
1/2. Mustivar/Sanchez
3. Feilhaber
4. Olum
Forward
Returning: Dom Dwyer, Cameron Porter, Diego Rubio, Daniel Salloi*, Graham Zusi
In: Latif Blessing, Gerso Fernandes, Cameron Iwasa, Tyler Pasher, Christian Volesky
Out: Bernardo Anor, Brad Davis, Connor Hallisey, Justin Mapp, Jacob Peterson
The position that needed the most makeover for Sporting KC looks to have gotten it ahead of the 2017 season. Kansas City now has 10 players who predominately play one of their three attacking positions, plus another (Medranda) who the club has said they see playing further up the field. That's a lot of players battling for playing time in only three positions. One of those players, Diego Rubio, will be out until at least the summer recovering from his ACL tear leaving a little extra playing time in there, but it's certainly an influx of new blood into the KC attack. On one level it almost sort of feels like Vermes is throwing a bunch of things against the wall and seeing who actually sticks. Other than Gerso Fernandes none of the new players are going to be extremely expensive, and Latif Blessing is the only other one of the five that is on a multi-year contract. If someone doesn't work out, KC certainly has some outs in their attack.
The big question for all the new talent is if someone can provide the secondary goal scoring for Dwyer that KC lacked last year. Sporting needs to get more goal production than they did from the wing position last year, the club can't afford another season where the second leading scorer has just six goals in a Western Conference that already looks to be improving from top to bottom. The hope is that new designated player, Fernandes can help with that although he hasn't been much of a goal scorer in his career, and his speed is something that KC hasn't had up top in a long time and could surprise and stretch some defenses in 2017, something Sporting hasn't had the ability to do. Opposite him it's assumed will be Zusi, who while playing right back with the US at times seems likely to keep his right wing position for his club.
Behind those three things become a little more muddied, with all the new players available, and returning talent. KC still has Cameron Porter and the returning Daniel Salloi, both of them can play in the middle and out wide for Sporting, giving them versatility. The same can be said for the likes of Cameron Iwasa who did it with Sacramento. Latif Blessing with his size seems destined for the wing and one has to hope he can translate some of his scoring in Ghana to MLS. With Pasher, KC has another player who can play on either wing, but can also drop deep. The only one that really seems to be a pure center forward is Christian Volesky, who would seem to give KC a big body to throw up top when they need a different style of hold up play. We saw last season with Dwyer and Rubio that Vermes tends to leave Dwyer on the field most of the time, although Volesky's lack of MLS experience is certainly a little worrisome if Dwyer picks up some sort of injury.
While there are still questions about the front line, I do like the influx of speed that has been added to the team, it will add a different dynamic to the front line, KC won't always have to do the patient build up out of the back, instead KC can look to strike on the counter, and actually be dangerous on the counter with the speed. The one big question is whether all 10 of these players actually make it to opening day. Having 10 players for three positions, even with the advantage of having the Rangers to get players playing time seems too much if players remain healthy. I could see this as an area that KC could trip the roster in preseason.
Depth chart
LW
1. Fernandes
2. Blessing
3. Pasher
4. Iwasa/Porter
CF
1. Dwyer
2. Rubio (IR)
3. Volesky
4. Salloi
RW
1. Zusi
2. Blessing
3/4. Iwasa/Porter
Overall I'm torn on this team right now. I like the additions that the team has made; I feel that they're the right ones to make, bringing in the right type of players. At the same time I'm still concerned about KC's ability to improve on their performance from last year. So far many of the teams that finished below KC are making additions that are needed to improve their rosters to compete for a playoff spot in 2017. KC was able to get into the playoffs in 2016, but has the roster improved enough to keep them in the playoffs in 2017? That's the question right now and it's a hard one to answer until we see the team on the field. Vermes has infused some young talent into a veteran squad, if the young talent can step up to fill holes, the team could be in a really good place. If the young players don't mesh well, then the team is going to have struggles like they did last year.
The thing with the way the current roster is made up, is that the club doesn't have a lot of room for flexibility right now, they currently only have one roster spot still open right now and are currently over their max of eight internationals. They'll need to get that corrected before the March 1st roster compliance deadline. They have a few ways to do that, whether it is by getting rid of a current international player, trading for another international roster spot from another club, or one of their current internationals (Blessing, Fernandes, Juliao, Medranda, Mustivar, Pasher, Rubio, Salloi, and Sanchez) could get their green card, knocking them down to eight (Pasher still counts as an international as he doesn't qualify as a Canadian domestic player).
We'll see how preseason affects the depth charts once we see some of these new players in with Sporting.
Goalkeeper
Returning: Tim Melia
In: Andrew Dykstra, Adrian Zendejas
Out: Alec Kann, Jon Kempin
Probably the straightest forward of KC's positions heading into 2017, but also one with some of the most turnover from the 2016. Out is Alec Kann, last season's back up as he was selected by Atlanta United in the expansion draft, and KC's first homegrown player, Jon Kempin. In their place, KC brought in Andrew Dykstra through the Re-Entry Draft and Adrian Zendejas from the Swope Park Rangers.
Tim Melia is probably still the expected starter in goal for Kansas City in 2017; he currently has a 22-19-9 record in goal for KC. He's likely be backed up primarily by Dykstra, who KC selected in the second stage of the Re-Entry draft. Dykstra fell down the depth chart last season at DC United after allowing four goals in DC's opener against LA. Ben Olsen went with Travis Worra the next week and Worra performed well enough to keep the starting job over Dykstra until Bill Hamid was back, then becoming the primary back up. Dykstra has been a career back up in his MLS career and will provide some more experience in goal for competitions like the US Open Cup when Melia is likely to get a break. Zendejas will likely fill the same role as Kempin did last year. He'll go on loan to the Swope Park Rangers where he'll be the presumed starter. He won't return to play for Sporting unless there is an injury to Dykstra or Melia, allowing him to get games, which is the most important thing for him now.
Depth chart
1. Melia
2. Dykstra
3. Zendejas
Defense
Returning: Saad Abdul-Salaam, Matt Besler, Kevin Ellis, Jimmy Medranda, Lawrence Olum, Ike Opara, Erik Palmer-Brown*, Seth Sinovic
In: Igor Juliao, Tyler Pasher, Colton Storm
Out: Chance Myers, Nuno Coelho
Kansas City wasn't a bad defensive team in 2016, they allowed the sixth fewest goals in the league in 2016, certainly not the level most fans have come to expect, but certainly not bad either. The issue for Kansas City last year was consistency in their center back pairing. I feel like a broken record the number of times I've said it, but KC used seven different center back combinations in 34 league games, no combination played more than 11 games together. Consistency at center back would make Kansas City better as a whole. KC returns four of five center backs from last season, plus the return of Erik Palmer-Brown from loan. On paper, it would seem that Matt Besler and Ike Opara are the favorites to start the season at center back together with Kevin Ellis, Lawrence Olum, and Palmer-Brown backing them up. After his return from loan, most Sporting fans seem excited about the prospect of Palmer-Brown winning the starting job in 2017, even though he'll miss a chunk of the preseason with the US U20 team for World Cup qualifying and possibly the U20 World Cup this summer. The problem could come this summer with Palmer-Brown and Matt Besler both potentially missing time while on national team duty, something that will cause more inconsistency with the back line.
All of KC's roster moves on defense this winter have been on the wings. Gone is veteran Chance Myers, whose return looked extremely unlikely at the end of the season, and became basically non-existent when the club brought Igor Juliao back on loan. Myers' time in KC was bookended by injury issues, but the stretch from 2011 through 2013 when he was healthy; there were very few right backs in the league better than him. He'll be remembered well for that time, but with Saad Abdul-Salaam taking his spot, there wasn't a reason to use his $200,000 plus cap hit on a reserve. Behind Abdul-Salaam is the returning Juliao, who hopefully has improved his defensive work while back in Brazil, as that was the trouble during his first stint with KC. After Juliao things are interesting as you have Graham Zusi, Sporting's right winger, but now playing right back with the US team, and showed well during his few experiences there with KC last season. He could certainly drop back to right back as well more regularly giving KC another option. That makes the acquisition of Colton Storm, a defender most people expect to play as a right back, all the more interesting with three other options there currently.
Storm could be an option at left back as well according to Peter Vermes, but KC isn't thin there either. The starting position at left back isn't as clear as on the right with Seth Sinovic and Jimmy Medranda both spending time at the position last year. Towards the end of the season, Sinovic was preferred to Medranda as the starter, and Besler looked much more comfortable with Sinovic next to him at left back compared to how he played with Medranda. If it comes down to a better unit, Medranda could be the one backing up Sinovic for the better of the back line as a whole. Then again, maybe a full preseason with Besler and Medranda working together would give the two a better partnership. At the same time you have comments from the team that they see Medranda's future up the field in a more attacking position, which could leave an opening behind Sinovic. Behind those two you could see a spot for Storm, as a third left back, but he could also be pushed down there because of the earlier signing of Tyler Pasher from the Swope Park Rangers. While Pasher played predominately as a winger for the Rangers, his lone appearance for Sporting KC last year, a CONCACAF Champions League game, came as the left back for Vermes. I have a feeling that Vermes sees Pasher as a hybrid that could play both positions at the MLS level. With his age Pasher could also be a candidate to spend a portion of the season on loan with SPR to get him more games and playing time. However it is, with KC's current depth at outside back, and Storm being without a contract right now, his chances of making the roster can't be guaranteed at this point.
Depth Chart
LB
1. Sinovic
2. Medranda
3/4. Pasher/Storm
CB
1. Besler
2. Opara
3. Ellis
4. Palmer-Brown
5. Olum
RB
1. Abdul-Salaam
2. Juliao
3. Zusi
4. Storm
Midfield
Returning: Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber, Benji Joya, Soni Mustivar, Lawrence Olum
In: Ilie Sanchez
Out: Paulo Nagamura, Emmanuel Appiah
Midfield is probably the one area that Kansas City really could stand to add further depth at this point. With the recent signing of Ilie Sanchez, KC now has six players who would predominately play midfield. Yes there are other options, like Graham Zusi, but right now these six are the depth for KC in midfield. Of the six of them, Benny Feilhaber and Roger Espinoza look firmly entrenched in their starting spots in Vermes' three man midfield. Behind both of them, it looks like the Sanchez addition is going to push Soni Mustivar the most of the three. Mustivar struggled at times last year with some of his passing; there were a few examples late in the season of him just playing the ball right to the other team. Competition for spots is certainly a good thing, as it'll lead to both raising their game.
Feilhaber and Espinoza though don't have a lot of competition to start over either, both have nice big contracts at this point, so while they could bring in some, these two look set to start. Behind them is Benji Joya, brought in late last season to the team, Joya made no league appearances, but did make one CCL appearance and in it looked calm and comfortable on the ball. He's mentioned liking to play deeper, but could be a good replacement for Feilhaber if need be. If Vermes wants to play him deeper, in more of Espinoza's role, he could drop Zusi back and slide him into the middle into Feilhaber's position.
Olum didn't see a lot of time in midfield for KC last season, spending most of his time on the field in defense, but he's still an option for Vermes in the midfield, although probably less now with the addition of Sanchez.
Depth Chart
A-mid
1. Feilhaber
2. Zusi
3. Joya
Box-to-Box
1. Espinoza
2. Feilhaber
3. Joya
D-mid
1/2. Mustivar/Sanchez
3. Feilhaber
4. Olum
Forward
Returning: Dom Dwyer, Cameron Porter, Diego Rubio, Daniel Salloi*, Graham Zusi
In: Latif Blessing, Gerso Fernandes, Cameron Iwasa, Tyler Pasher, Christian Volesky
Out: Bernardo Anor, Brad Davis, Connor Hallisey, Justin Mapp, Jacob Peterson
The position that needed the most makeover for Sporting KC looks to have gotten it ahead of the 2017 season. Kansas City now has 10 players who predominately play one of their three attacking positions, plus another (Medranda) who the club has said they see playing further up the field. That's a lot of players battling for playing time in only three positions. One of those players, Diego Rubio, will be out until at least the summer recovering from his ACL tear leaving a little extra playing time in there, but it's certainly an influx of new blood into the KC attack. On one level it almost sort of feels like Vermes is throwing a bunch of things against the wall and seeing who actually sticks. Other than Gerso Fernandes none of the new players are going to be extremely expensive, and Latif Blessing is the only other one of the five that is on a multi-year contract. If someone doesn't work out, KC certainly has some outs in their attack.
The big question for all the new talent is if someone can provide the secondary goal scoring for Dwyer that KC lacked last year. Sporting needs to get more goal production than they did from the wing position last year, the club can't afford another season where the second leading scorer has just six goals in a Western Conference that already looks to be improving from top to bottom. The hope is that new designated player, Fernandes can help with that although he hasn't been much of a goal scorer in his career, and his speed is something that KC hasn't had up top in a long time and could surprise and stretch some defenses in 2017, something Sporting hasn't had the ability to do. Opposite him it's assumed will be Zusi, who while playing right back with the US at times seems likely to keep his right wing position for his club.
Behind those three things become a little more muddied, with all the new players available, and returning talent. KC still has Cameron Porter and the returning Daniel Salloi, both of them can play in the middle and out wide for Sporting, giving them versatility. The same can be said for the likes of Cameron Iwasa who did it with Sacramento. Latif Blessing with his size seems destined for the wing and one has to hope he can translate some of his scoring in Ghana to MLS. With Pasher, KC has another player who can play on either wing, but can also drop deep. The only one that really seems to be a pure center forward is Christian Volesky, who would seem to give KC a big body to throw up top when they need a different style of hold up play. We saw last season with Dwyer and Rubio that Vermes tends to leave Dwyer on the field most of the time, although Volesky's lack of MLS experience is certainly a little worrisome if Dwyer picks up some sort of injury.
While there are still questions about the front line, I do like the influx of speed that has been added to the team, it will add a different dynamic to the front line, KC won't always have to do the patient build up out of the back, instead KC can look to strike on the counter, and actually be dangerous on the counter with the speed. The one big question is whether all 10 of these players actually make it to opening day. Having 10 players for three positions, even with the advantage of having the Rangers to get players playing time seems too much if players remain healthy. I could see this as an area that KC could trip the roster in preseason.
Depth chart
LW
1. Fernandes
2. Blessing
3. Pasher
4. Iwasa/Porter
CF
1. Dwyer
2. Rubio (IR)
3. Volesky
4. Salloi
RW
1. Zusi
2. Blessing
3/4. Iwasa/Porter
Overall I'm torn on this team right now. I like the additions that the team has made; I feel that they're the right ones to make, bringing in the right type of players. At the same time I'm still concerned about KC's ability to improve on their performance from last year. So far many of the teams that finished below KC are making additions that are needed to improve their rosters to compete for a playoff spot in 2017. KC was able to get into the playoffs in 2016, but has the roster improved enough to keep them in the playoffs in 2017? That's the question right now and it's a hard one to answer until we see the team on the field. Vermes has infused some young talent into a veteran squad, if the young talent can step up to fill holes, the team could be in a really good place. If the young players don't mesh well, then the team is going to have struggles like they did last year.
The thing with the way the current roster is made up, is that the club doesn't have a lot of room for flexibility right now, they currently only have one roster spot still open right now and are currently over their max of eight internationals. They'll need to get that corrected before the March 1st roster compliance deadline. They have a few ways to do that, whether it is by getting rid of a current international player, trading for another international roster spot from another club, or one of their current internationals (Blessing, Fernandes, Juliao, Medranda, Mustivar, Pasher, Rubio, Salloi, and Sanchez) could get their green card, knocking them down to eight (Pasher still counts as an international as he doesn't qualify as a Canadian domestic player).
We'll see how preseason affects the depth charts once we see some of these new players in with Sporting.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
2017 Schedule Released for Sporting KC
MLS released the entirety of the 2017 MLS schedule today after previously announcing every team's home openers a few weeks ago. Sporting Kansas City got a much more fan friendly schedule than they did in 2016. Instead of having just four Saturday home games, like they did in 2016, Sporting KC have 10 in 2017, and just four home games on Sunday's this season. They also have two Wednesday games, and one Thursday game at home. On the road, KC has 13 road games on Saturday, two Sunday, one Wednesday, and one Friday. The schedule in 2016 was one of the big complaints that I heard from KC fans throughout the 2016 season with so many Sunday games and so many different game times for those home games. While the Saturday games increase for Sporting KC, they still have their fair share of nationally televised games, with nine. KC has four on FS1 (two home and two away), four on ESPN (three home and one away), and one on Unimas (away).
Saturday, March 4 at DC 6:00pm
Saturday, March 11 vs Dallas 8:00pm
Saturday, March 18 vs San Jose 7:30pm
Friday, March 31 at Toronto 6:30pm FS1
Sunday, April 9 vs Colorado 6:00pm FS1
Saturday, April 15 at Portland 9:30pm (KC Royals vs Anaheim Angels)
Saturday, April 22 at Dallas 7:00pm (KC Royals at Texas Rangers)
Saturday, April 29 vs Salt Lake 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Minnesota Twins)
Wednesday, May 3 vs New York 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Chicago White Sox)
Sunday, May 7 at Minnesota 12:30pm FS1
Saturday, May 13 at Orlando 6:30pm (KC Royals vs Baltimore Orioles)
Wednesday, May 17 vs Seattle 7:30pm (KC Royals vs New York Yankees)
Saturday, May 20 at Vancouver TBD (KC Royals at Minnesota Twins)
Saturday, May 27 at Colorado 7pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Saturday, June 3 vs Minnesota 4:00pm ESPN
Saturday, June 10 vs Montreal TBD (KC Royals at San Diego Padres)
Saturday, June 17 at San Jose 8:00pm (KC Royals at Anaheim Angels)
Saturday, June 24 at Los Angeles 9:30pm (KC Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays)
Saturday, July 1 vs Portland 6:00pm ESPN
Thursday, July 6 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm
Saturday, July 22 at Salt Lake 9:00pm (KC Royals vs Chicago White Sox)
Saturday, July 29 vs Chicago 7:30pm (KC Royals at Boston Red Sox)
Sunday, August 6 vs Atlanta 7:00pm FS1
Saturday, August 12 at Seattle 3:00pm (KC Royals at Chicago White Sox)
Saturday, August 19 vs Dallas 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Cleveland Indians)
Saturday, August 26 at Houston 8:00pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Wednesday, September 6 at NYCFC TBD (KC Royals at Detroit Tigers)
Sunday, September 10 at Columbus 12:00pm ESPN
Saturday, September 16 vs New England 7:30pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Sunday, September 24 vs Los Angeles 12:00pm ESPN
Saturday, September 30 vs Vancouver TBD (KC Royals vs Arizona Diamondbacks)
Saturday, October 7 at Minnesota 7:00pm Unimas
Sunday, October 15 vs Houston 4:00pm
Sunday, October 22 at Salt Lake 3:00pm
KC has only one stretch that I would term "brutal" this season too, in the span of a week, KC will go from playing at Orlando on May 13th, to Kansas City where they'll be playing MLS Cup winner Seattle on May 17th, and then make a trip to Vancouver for a Saturday game against the Whitecaps. Certainly not a friendly schedule there for Kansas City as they'll go cross country in a week. Thankfully though they don't have to go coast to coast for a Wednesday/Saturday game this year though. KC will also close the 2017 season on the road, with a Decision day trip to Rio Tinto Stadium to take on Real Salt Lake, a match up that has shown plenty of fire over the years could have even more pressure.
There are some good road trip options for fans as well this season. If you're a fan of the Kansas City Royals as well, I might suggest the trip to Dallas on April 22nd as the Royals are in Texas to take on the Texas Rangers the same weekend. Another trip, especially if you have a week to take off would be June 17th at San Jose and June 24th at Los Angeles, spending a week sightseeing in California doesn't sound like a bad way to spend a trip bookended by two Sporting games. Kansas City also makes two trips to Minnesota to take on expansion side, Minnesota United. KC has a trip on May 5th in Minnesota where the game is on Fox Sports 1 and a trip in October on the 7th when the game is on Unimas.
In terms of the international games this coming year, Sporting KC is only really avoiding one international window, in March as Sporting KC is off the weekend of the 24th when the US play Honduras and Panama. Other windows though KC is playing in the middle of the international break. KC faces Montreal on June 10th, one day before the US plays in Mexico City against Mexico. During the Gold Cup this summer, Sporting host Philadelphia two days before the US kicks off in the tournament on July 8th and plays Salt Lake on the road on July 22nd which is still going to be during the tournament. In September, Sporting plays in just one day after the US take on Honduras at San Pedro Sula on September 5th. The final World Cup qualifiers of the year in October will see Sporting KC take on Minnesota on the road one day after the US hosts Panama in a World Cup qualifier.
One interesting thing to watch this year will be KC's new television contract with Fox Sports KC which will see KC's games not on national television broadcasted on the channel. The thing to watch will be how many games get moved because of Kansas City Royals games. Currently Sporting and the Royals play on the same day on 19 of KC's 25 nationally televised game days (19 of 26 with FSKC presumably having English rights to the game on Unimas). The Royals game times are not known yet but could see quite a few Sporting KC games pushed to FSKC's secondary channel. Below where I listed the full Sporting schedule I've put in parenthesis the Royals games that are the same day when Sporting doesn't play on national television.
Saturday, March 11 vs Dallas 8:00pm
Saturday, March 18 vs San Jose 7:30pm
Friday, March 31 at Toronto 6:30pm FS1
Sunday, April 9 vs Colorado 6:00pm FS1
Saturday, April 15 at Portland 9:30pm (KC Royals vs Anaheim Angels)
Saturday, April 22 at Dallas 7:00pm (KC Royals at Texas Rangers)
Saturday, April 29 vs Salt Lake 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Minnesota Twins)
Wednesday, May 3 vs New York 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Chicago White Sox)
Sunday, May 7 at Minnesota 12:30pm FS1
Saturday, May 13 at Orlando 6:30pm (KC Royals vs Baltimore Orioles)
Wednesday, May 17 vs Seattle 7:30pm (KC Royals vs New York Yankees)
Saturday, May 20 at Vancouver TBD (KC Royals at Minnesota Twins)
Saturday, May 27 at Colorado 7pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Saturday, June 3 vs Minnesota 4:00pm ESPN
Saturday, June 10 vs Montreal TBD (KC Royals at San Diego Padres)
Saturday, June 17 at San Jose 8:00pm (KC Royals at Anaheim Angels)
Saturday, June 24 at Los Angeles 9:30pm (KC Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays)
Saturday, July 1 vs Portland 6:00pm ESPN
Thursday, July 6 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm
Saturday, July 22 at Salt Lake 9:00pm (KC Royals vs Chicago White Sox)
Saturday, July 29 vs Chicago 7:30pm (KC Royals at Boston Red Sox)
Sunday, August 6 vs Atlanta 7:00pm FS1
Saturday, August 12 at Seattle 3:00pm (KC Royals at Chicago White Sox)
Saturday, August 19 vs Dallas 7:30pm (KC Royals vs Cleveland Indians)
Saturday, August 26 at Houston 8:00pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Wednesday, September 6 at NYCFC TBD (KC Royals at Detroit Tigers)
Sunday, September 10 at Columbus 12:00pm ESPN
Saturday, September 16 vs New England 7:30pm (KC Royals at Cleveland Indians)
Sunday, September 24 vs Los Angeles 12:00pm ESPN
Saturday, September 30 vs Vancouver TBD (KC Royals vs Arizona Diamondbacks)
Saturday, October 7 at Minnesota 7:00pm Unimas
Sunday, October 15 vs Houston 4:00pm
Sunday, October 22 at Salt Lake 3:00pm
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
MLS Release Home Openers, Sporting Have Three Games Announced
MLS today announced the home openers for all 22 MLS teams, and with that we know three of Sporting KC's games to start the season.
Sporting will have their home opener just one week later, on March 11th they'll welcome the defending Supporters' Shield winners, FC Dallas to Children's Mercy Park. Kansas City has one of the best records in home openers in all of MLS, with a 13-2-6 record in the first home game of the season. The game will hopefully be a sign of things to come for many Sporting KC fans this season, Saturday night games, as the game kicks off at 7:30 Central time. One of the big complaints I saw last season from a number of fans was the schedule that saw Kansas City have numerous different start times and a lack of Saturday games. Sporting obviously had little to do with this due to their being on national television so much. Hopefully KC will have a few more Saturday night games than the four they had in 2016.
The third game that is already on the schedule for Sporting KC is the fifth week of the season when Sporting KC will travel to BMO Field for Toronto FC's home opener. This will be the second time that KC will play Toronto in their home opener, the last time was when the stadium opened back in 2007, when Kansas City pulled out a 1-0 win on a goal by Eddie Johnson. Playing two Eastern Conference teams on the road so early in the season means that KC will have gotten two of their five or six East Coast road trips out of the way early in the season. This year Sporting is supposed to play DC, Toronto, Columbus, New York City, and Orlando on the road for sure, and could possibly play Atlanta as well, depending on how MLS breaks the schedule down. With getting two out of the way early it'll mean fewer road trips East later in the season.
The rest of the schedule is still scheduled to come out in January, when we'll see the club's first trip to Minnesota and the first time they play Atlanta.
Friday, November 11, 2016
A Look at Sporting's Roster and Ahead Towards 2017
With the season over, most Sporting Kansas City fans have turned their eyes towards 2017 and the hopes of another new season. With that in mind people have been discussing who should be, or will be returning in 2017 and what players are likely on their way out. Yesterday from Sam McDowell we found out that Sporting KC has just eight players currently under contract for the 2017 season. Of the 23 remaining players that KC has (including their three players that were on loan this season; Bernardo Anor, Erik Palmer-Brown, and Daniel Salloi) there are likely to be a few of those players that are brought back, either because they have options the team is going to pick up, or because the team will extend the player a new deal.
So with that in mind here's a look at each player and some thoughts on their 2016 season, their chances on returning, and some ideas on what Swope Park Rangers players could play a role.
Goalkeeper
Tim Melia - He struggled during the middle of the 2016 season, with injuries and form affecting his play on the field, but came on strong late in the season, looking like the goalkeeper that he'd been in 2015. He's one of the seven under contract for 2017 and I think it's safe to assume that he's definitely coming in as the number one goalkeeper again.
Alec Kann - Performed admirably in Melia's stead when he was out with injury. He's not a bad back up and as long as the price remains right I think Kann will be back in Kansas City next season as the backup.
Jon Kempin - Probably the most interesting situation to follow with the goalkeepers. Kempin is Sporting KC's first homegrown player, but has appeared in only a handful of games for Sporting KC. This season he made just two appearances, both in the CONCACAF Champions League while Melia was injured. He spent most of the season on loan to the Swope Park Rangers, where he started the season as the starter, lost the job, gained it back, then lost it again when he was recalled to help cover for the Melia injury and never gained it back.
Outlook: I think it might be time for Kempin to move on from his home town club. The tweet by Robb Heineman back in January that the club wanted to take goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, the losing the starting job with the Rangers to Zac Lubin and then Adrian Zendejas, it just seems that the club is starting to move on from Kempin. In his place I could see the club doing something similar in 2017 with Zendejas, signing him to Sporting KC and loaning him to SPR for the season.
Help from SPR: As I mentioned before, Zendejas looked extremely solid for the Rangers and at only 21 looks like an extremely strong option to grow into the position. Him being invited into preseason camp with Sporting won't be surprising at all.
Stay: Melia, Kann
Go: Kempin
In: Zendejas?
Defense
Saad Abdul-Salaam - Abdul-Salaam is one of those players that I believe falls into the option needing to be picked up category. Traditionally MLS rookies are given a two year deal when they sign, two years plus two more option years. Abdul-Salaam just finished his second season, which would put him firmly into the position of entering one of his option years. He seems to have firmly entrenched himself into the starting right back job as Chance Myers has been unable to stay healthy.
Ever Alvarado - One of Sporting KC's mid-season signings, Alvarado spent most of his time with the Swope Park Rangers. Plenty of that probably had to do with the emergence of Jimmy Medranda as a viable player at left back for Sporting KC. The Honduran isn't one I would consider a "young, up and comer" as he is already 24. I could see him brought back as depth for KC; I could also see him make his exit from Kansas City as well.
Matt Besler - The second of two players under contract already for 2017, Besler had a rough 2016 season on the field for KC. He played his fewest games since his second professional season through both injury and being benched by Peter Vermes, was stripped of the captain's armband he had first been given in 2014, and lost the designation as being a designated player. He's still the best defender KC has, but has been unable to form a cohesive partnership with anyone the way that he had with Aurelien Collin.
Nuno Coelho - The man that was originally expected to help fill that Aurelien Collin role with Besler was the Coelho. Unfortunately, after a strong start, Coelho's history of injuries caught up with him around May. After going 90 minutes in KC's 3-1 loss to RSL on May 21st (his 14th straight start, and 14th straight game going 90 minutes), Coelho only played 90 minutes one time over the final 20 games of the regular season. He started six of those final 20 games and made one substitute appearance. Making $275,000 base and $375,000 guaranteed you have to wonder if there was enough to get him another year in Kansas City. For me I'm not sure he did.
Kevin Ellis - After all was said and done at the end of the season, after KC tried Besler, Coelho, Ike Opara, and Lawrence Olum at center back, it ended up being Ellis that partnered Besler at the end of the season for KC. While he still draws the ire of a number of KC fans that he's not a center back, he's still a good depth option for KC at his price. If he's one that has an option to pick up I would guess there's a good chance it's picked up.
Jimmy Medranda - Probably the biggest surprise of the season for Sporting KC, Medranda made the left back position his for a good chunk of the season holding off Alvarado, Seth Sinovic, and making Amadou Dia expendable. He's certainly not a finished product there and some of his defending would best be classified as erratic and a little worrisome, he still got the job done. As McDowell mentioned, the team sees his eventual position further of the field, and I'd agree, I'm not sure exactly where, but I think he has more to provide to the offense than he does as a defender.
Chance Myers - sporting KC's longest tenured player may be seeing his time in KC coming to an end soon. Myers was hit by the injury bug again in 2016, something that has been an on again off again issue for him throughout his career. He played in just 11 league games, starting just six. His last start came back on May 7th, while his last appearance was on August 7th. He's been very good for the club when he's been healthy, his spot in the great back line from 2011 through 2013 will be remembered very well by KC fans, but with a base salary of $200,000 and Abdul-Salaam looking good in the right back position it may be time for KC to move on from Myers.
Ike Opara - Set a career high for starts (16), games (25), and minutes (1,542) in 2016, Opara was not as dominating as he was in the early part of 2015 before his injury but was still strong defensively. He too missed time again with injury though not as bad as prior years. His salary is still pretty reasonable in MLS and at worst he's a good third defender for the club to have.
Erik Palmer-Brown - Sporting KC's youngest ever player is on loan to Porto until the end of the season, when the Portuguese club will make a decision on whether they will purchase Palmer-Brown's contract. The US youth international was an important part of Porto B's run to winning the Portuguese second division championship last season. This season after returning from an injury he's gone right back into the starting 11 for Porto B and done well. From reports of people who have been watching him play he has been doing very well and most fans seem very interested in retaining his duties with the club, some even saying that they wouldn't be surprised to see him get time with the first team in the Portuguese Cup competition. In that regard I'm not going to be surprised if he's played his last game for Sporting KC.
Seth Sinovic - I think each of the last two seasons I've written Seth Sinovic's obituary with Sporting KC, first the emergence of Dia and then Medranda this season, but yet again by the end of the season this year Sinovic was back in the starting 11, replacing Medranda over the final few league games and then in the playoffs as well. Sinovic is still a relatively inexpensive option for Kansas City and even if KC chooses to bring in another starter, Sinovic would be a good veteran presence on the bench that can come in and start when you need him to.
Outlook: For some of the comments that Kansas City took about their defense in 2016, it was still a fairly good defensive unit, allowing the sixth fewest goals on the season in MLS. The big issue was simply consistency in personnel. Abdul-Salaam seems to have the right back; with Besler out of the dog house he seems to have the left center back position. That means that KC needs to look to fill the right center back position, and either decide on Medranda or Sinovic for the left back spot, or bring in a starter there.
Help from SPR: Swope Park's starting center back partnership of Omuar Ballo and Amer Didic had a long unbeaten run for SPR when they were starting together that was ended in the USL final against New York Red Bulls 2. The pair certainly looked strong at times and Didic at 21 even earned himself a call up to Sporting for the CCL games this season, which Ballo was too old for. I could see at least Didic, if not both of them invited into camp. On the wings, I think that Sporting will give Tyler Pasher another look with Sporting in preseason, he seems likely to split time between the wing and wingback position with SKC, something he did with the Rangers at times last season.
Stay: Abdul-Salaam, Besler, Ellis, Medranda, Opara, Sinovic
Go: Alvarado, Coelho, Myers, Palmer-Brown
In: starting right center back, starting left back, Didic?, Pasher?
Midfield
Bernardo Anor - Spent the entire season on loan with Minnesota United of the NASL. The assumption had to have been that Anor would impress enough that KC could work out a deal where Sporting would trade Anor to Minnesota in exchange for a draft pick and a handshake agreement to not take any of their players in the expansion draft. Unfortunately Anor only appeared nine times for United, only two of those in the fall season after suffering an injury. If this was a loan with an option to buy I have a feel that United will pass on Anor, and I can't see KC retaining him either.
Emmanuel Appiah - Like Alvarado, Appiah was KC's other summer transfer window signing, and like him he spent a vast majority of his time with SPR, making a handful of appearances across all competitions for Sporting KC, mainly in CCL play. I could see Appiah making a return to the team in preseason only to end up signing with SPR for 2017 instead of Sporting. As a 23 year old first round pick (albeit for Colorado) I would have wanted more of a contribution from him.
Roger Espinoza - The third of seven players already under contract for the 2017 season, Espinoza had himself another strong season for KC in midfield and on the wing by the end of the season. He took over the captaincy from Besler and set career highs in games (30), starts (30), minutes (2,679), and assists (5). While KC had some success late in the season with Espinoza on the wing I appreciate that the team is planning to move him back to the midfield, on the wing I just didn't feel that Espinoza had the impact on the game that he can have in the middle, and while he's a good player, he's not enough of an offensive weapon to be playing the wing regularly in a 4-3-3.
Benny Feilhaber - Probably the biggest story of Kansas City’s offseason will be the status of Feilhaber. Now out of contract, Sporting has not held any negotiations with him about a new contract during the regular season. With numerous reports that teams in both Israel and Mexico were interested in the midfielder he can technically sign an offer sheet with a new club at any time, even though his contract with KC runs through the end of December. The fact that he hasn't is certainly a good sign. There are questions that will be asked though if and when Feilhaber signs a new contract. The biggest being how long of a contract do you give a midfielder who will be 32 at the start of the 2017 season? Can he continue to keep up the impact he's had with KC over the past couple seasons?
Benji Joya - The former US youth international came back to MLS as a roster freeze signing for Kansas City. Joya only appeared one time for Kansas City, the club's meaningless CCL game against Central FC, but he showed flashes during that one appearance. He's cheap enough to be an option on Sporting KC next season, or with SPR. He's one of the few roster freeze deadline signings that I could see sticking around beyond the one season.
Soni Mustivar - Another player already under contract for 2017, Mustivar had a bit of a rough season. KC had been searching for a defensive midfielder to replace Oriol Rosell since the Spaniard transferred to the Portuguese league, and last year it looked like they might have found it with Mustivar. This year though there's been some issues with his passing. It seems like at least once a game Mustivar would play a ball that would end up putting KC's defense under pressure, either by it being to the other team or not to a good position. In KC's 4-3-3 the passing by the defensive midfield is extremely important; it's why Feilhaber has spent plenty of time there. Hopefully an improvement from Mustivar is coming in 2017.
Paulo Nagamura - It seems like the last few years Nagamura has missed the first half of the season only to come back in late July/August to help steady the team and push them towards the playoffs. This year was no different, but the question surrounding Nagamura is that he turns 34 early in 2017 and can KC afford to have $225,000 in cap space tied up in a player (no matter how important) only plays about 500 minutes in a season?
Lawrence Olum - After a year abroad, Olum returned to Kansas City and for a period of time over the summer became the preferred starting center back partner of Ike Opara in KC's back line. Like a number of KC's new signings this past season though he missed a long stretch of time with injury, not appearing in a league game after 8/13. He will also be turning 33 next season, an age where if he permanently makes the switch to center back could be a decent depth signing if KC want him to return.
Outlook: When KC's starting midfield trio of Espinoza, Feilhaber, Mustivar were on their game they were one of the best midfield combinations in the league. Unfortunately they all couldn't seem to hit form at the same time in 2016. This is an area in 2017 that KC really probably needs to get younger in, both Feilhaber (if he stays) and Espinoza are now on the wrong side of 30, Olum and Nagamura are also both north of there. While Mustivar is in his prime now there are certainly questions about his play. The only "young" players in the midfield are Appiah and Joya, both had minimal action, but Joya looked the better of the two when it came down to it.
Help from SPR: Unfortunately, probably the two top candidates to help out on the midfield tore their ACLs in training in 2016. Kevin Oliveira, number 2 on the USL's list of 20 under 20 is back out on the field getting himself back into shape, but Ualefi only tore his ACL during the USL playoffs and is still a ways out. If either or both were healthy I would have expected both in camp with KC, now Oliveira may be back by the time the USL season kicks off. Elsewhere, Ayrton showed flashes filling in for Oliveira at the attacking midfield spot and Tomas Granitto showed well in his one appearance with SKC in the Champions League, but I'm not sure either one is ready to make the jump full time.
Stay: Espinoza, Feilhaber, Joya, Mustivar, Olum
Go: Anor, Appiah, Nagamura
In: Fausto Rossi?, other starting attacking midfielder if Feilhaber leaves, potentially a new defensive midfielder
Forward/Winger
Brad Davis - Probably the highest profile of KC's offseason acquisitions, a player that Peter Vermes had reportedly been chasing for years. Unfortunately Davis ended up starting just 14 games, the fewest since his rookie year in 2002, same for the number of minutes played (1,300), and his fewest assists since 2004. The expectation was that Davis would provide close to double digit assists, setting up goals for other players on the field. The lack of production from Davis caused some of KC's offensive attacking issues. His retirement will free up plenty of cap space though so hopefully Kansas City uses that on improving the team.
Dom Dwyer - The fourth player still under contract for 2017, Dwyer became Sporting KC's second all-time leading scorer in 2016 and seems likely to continue to closer to Preki in 2017. For Kansas City, the best thing for Dwyer would be for Sporting to get him support. Dwyer spent a lot of 2016 on "Dwyer Island" isolated from the rest of Kansas City's team; getting him support has to be a priority.
Connor Hallisey - To say that Sporting's highest pick from the 2015 MLS Superdraft has not lived up to expectations would be an understatement. Hallisey has struggled to transition his game to MLS. He's had numerous opportunities to lock down a starting spot on the wing for KC, especially this year with KC's two big signings there being underwhelming. In his 30 games played for KC in MLS play he's recorded just a single assist while having a number of decent opportunities to score but his only finish has been a penalty kick in KC's final CCL game. There comes a point where Vermes needs to just cut his losses with Hallisey.
Justin Mapp - The league's first free agent signing will also be the measuring point for free agent busts for years to come in MLS. Mapp played just 43 minutes for Kansas City, never starting a single game. He missed most of the season with a variety of injuries. If KC takes anything from this mistake it's to hopefully be more cautious with their signings. KC has made a history of signing players that have injury histories and trying to make them come good. Sometimes it works for them (Nemeth), this year it didn't really work out with two of their main signings (Coelho and Mapp).
Jacob Peterson - Peterson had a career year in 2016, and there are really two ways to take it for most KC fans. Many are thrilled that he was able to step up and become at least some kind of secondary threat to take some pressure off of Dwyer up top. The other side of things is that KC put themselves into a position with their player signings where Peterson had to have a career year just to try to save Kansas City's season. Peterson still has something to offer this team, maybe not as a starter, but as that spark of energy off the bench if KC needs it.
Cameron Porter - Porter is another player under contract for 2017 already. Acquired from the Montreal Impact in the trade that sent Amadou Dia north, Porter has shown some flashes at time but has also looked out of his depth. One player that actually played fewer league minutes than Mapp did. I think Porter could be someone that replaces Peterson as that spark f Sporting decides not to bring Peterson back to KC.
Diego Rubio - The sixth player under contract for 2017, Rubio will unfortunately miss a good chunk of the start of the 2017 season as he too recovers from an ACL tear. With KC's single forward system Rubio only was on the field once at the same time as Dwyer was all year. His apparent inability to play the wing has put him in mainly a reserve role. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a DP just to have him sit on the bench mainly, but it really isn't something KC is going to have to worry about for at least the first half of the season.
Daniel Salloi - Sporting's latest homegrown player is on loan in his native Hungary where he's become a regular starter for Gyirmot scoring a pair of goals. Unfortunately Gyirmot is currently in a relegation spot, which would likely keep a permanent move from happening. With Rubio injured and how regularly Dwyer plays KC could bring him back as the primary back up to Dwyer.
Graham Zusi - The last player currently on KC's roster already for the 2017 season, Sporting really needs to start getting production from Zusi again. Over the past two seasons he's scored just four goals and added nine assists in league play, that's as many goals as he was involved in 2014 alone (five goals, eight assists). We were told last year it was because of lingering injuries. Unfortunately being healthy in 2016 hasn't helped to turn his form around. The grumbles from the fans that have grown to love Zusi are starting to get higher, especially with his DP status.
Outlook: Of the four areas, the forward/wing position is probably where Kansas City needs the most house cleaning; coincidently it's also where KC has the most players already under contract for 2017. KC gets plenty of production from Dwyer this past season, but needs to get more production from the wings in 2017 to be competitive.
Help from SPR: At the forward position, Sporting has the Rangers' leading scorer, Mark Anthony Gonzalez his ability to make the jump to MLS is certainly something to question though. There's also the USL's all-time leading scorer, Dane Kelly, but considering he has yet to make the jump to MLS, there do have to be some questions about whether he can as well. On the wings KC has Pasher who I previously mentioned as an option for outside back, and there's also Kris Tyrpak, who has some MLS experience from his time with Chivas USA.
Stay: Dwyer, Peterson, Porter, Rubio, Salloi?, Zusi
Out: Davis, Hallisey, Mapp
In: Pasher? Tyrpak? at least one starting winger.
Kansas City has a number of pieces that can be built on to get the team past the first round of the playoffs; they just need to add some pieces to get them further. KC has spent a number of years just trying to find that one, maybe two pieces required to get the team to the next level. This may be the first time since 2011 that KC has really had to come into the season with a number of new needed starters and impact players.
So with that in mind here's a look at each player and some thoughts on their 2016 season, their chances on returning, and some ideas on what Swope Park Rangers players could play a role.
Goalkeeper
Tim Melia - He struggled during the middle of the 2016 season, with injuries and form affecting his play on the field, but came on strong late in the season, looking like the goalkeeper that he'd been in 2015. He's one of the seven under contract for 2017 and I think it's safe to assume that he's definitely coming in as the number one goalkeeper again.
Alec Kann - Performed admirably in Melia's stead when he was out with injury. He's not a bad back up and as long as the price remains right I think Kann will be back in Kansas City next season as the backup.
Jon Kempin - Probably the most interesting situation to follow with the goalkeepers. Kempin is Sporting KC's first homegrown player, but has appeared in only a handful of games for Sporting KC. This season he made just two appearances, both in the CONCACAF Champions League while Melia was injured. He spent most of the season on loan to the Swope Park Rangers, where he started the season as the starter, lost the job, gained it back, then lost it again when he was recalled to help cover for the Melia injury and never gained it back.
Outlook: I think it might be time for Kempin to move on from his home town club. The tweet by Robb Heineman back in January that the club wanted to take goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, the losing the starting job with the Rangers to Zac Lubin and then Adrian Zendejas, it just seems that the club is starting to move on from Kempin. In his place I could see the club doing something similar in 2017 with Zendejas, signing him to Sporting KC and loaning him to SPR for the season.
Help from SPR: As I mentioned before, Zendejas looked extremely solid for the Rangers and at only 21 looks like an extremely strong option to grow into the position. Him being invited into preseason camp with Sporting won't be surprising at all.
Stay: Melia, Kann
Go: Kempin
In: Zendejas?
Defense
Saad Abdul-Salaam - Abdul-Salaam is one of those players that I believe falls into the option needing to be picked up category. Traditionally MLS rookies are given a two year deal when they sign, two years plus two more option years. Abdul-Salaam just finished his second season, which would put him firmly into the position of entering one of his option years. He seems to have firmly entrenched himself into the starting right back job as Chance Myers has been unable to stay healthy.
Ever Alvarado - One of Sporting KC's mid-season signings, Alvarado spent most of his time with the Swope Park Rangers. Plenty of that probably had to do with the emergence of Jimmy Medranda as a viable player at left back for Sporting KC. The Honduran isn't one I would consider a "young, up and comer" as he is already 24. I could see him brought back as depth for KC; I could also see him make his exit from Kansas City as well.
Matt Besler - The second of two players under contract already for 2017, Besler had a rough 2016 season on the field for KC. He played his fewest games since his second professional season through both injury and being benched by Peter Vermes, was stripped of the captain's armband he had first been given in 2014, and lost the designation as being a designated player. He's still the best defender KC has, but has been unable to form a cohesive partnership with anyone the way that he had with Aurelien Collin.
Nuno Coelho - The man that was originally expected to help fill that Aurelien Collin role with Besler was the Coelho. Unfortunately, after a strong start, Coelho's history of injuries caught up with him around May. After going 90 minutes in KC's 3-1 loss to RSL on May 21st (his 14th straight start, and 14th straight game going 90 minutes), Coelho only played 90 minutes one time over the final 20 games of the regular season. He started six of those final 20 games and made one substitute appearance. Making $275,000 base and $375,000 guaranteed you have to wonder if there was enough to get him another year in Kansas City. For me I'm not sure he did.
Kevin Ellis - After all was said and done at the end of the season, after KC tried Besler, Coelho, Ike Opara, and Lawrence Olum at center back, it ended up being Ellis that partnered Besler at the end of the season for KC. While he still draws the ire of a number of KC fans that he's not a center back, he's still a good depth option for KC at his price. If he's one that has an option to pick up I would guess there's a good chance it's picked up.
Jimmy Medranda - Probably the biggest surprise of the season for Sporting KC, Medranda made the left back position his for a good chunk of the season holding off Alvarado, Seth Sinovic, and making Amadou Dia expendable. He's certainly not a finished product there and some of his defending would best be classified as erratic and a little worrisome, he still got the job done. As McDowell mentioned, the team sees his eventual position further of the field, and I'd agree, I'm not sure exactly where, but I think he has more to provide to the offense than he does as a defender.
Chance Myers - sporting KC's longest tenured player may be seeing his time in KC coming to an end soon. Myers was hit by the injury bug again in 2016, something that has been an on again off again issue for him throughout his career. He played in just 11 league games, starting just six. His last start came back on May 7th, while his last appearance was on August 7th. He's been very good for the club when he's been healthy, his spot in the great back line from 2011 through 2013 will be remembered very well by KC fans, but with a base salary of $200,000 and Abdul-Salaam looking good in the right back position it may be time for KC to move on from Myers.
Ike Opara - Set a career high for starts (16), games (25), and minutes (1,542) in 2016, Opara was not as dominating as he was in the early part of 2015 before his injury but was still strong defensively. He too missed time again with injury though not as bad as prior years. His salary is still pretty reasonable in MLS and at worst he's a good third defender for the club to have.
Erik Palmer-Brown - Sporting KC's youngest ever player is on loan to Porto until the end of the season, when the Portuguese club will make a decision on whether they will purchase Palmer-Brown's contract. The US youth international was an important part of Porto B's run to winning the Portuguese second division championship last season. This season after returning from an injury he's gone right back into the starting 11 for Porto B and done well. From reports of people who have been watching him play he has been doing very well and most fans seem very interested in retaining his duties with the club, some even saying that they wouldn't be surprised to see him get time with the first team in the Portuguese Cup competition. In that regard I'm not going to be surprised if he's played his last game for Sporting KC.
Seth Sinovic - I think each of the last two seasons I've written Seth Sinovic's obituary with Sporting KC, first the emergence of Dia and then Medranda this season, but yet again by the end of the season this year Sinovic was back in the starting 11, replacing Medranda over the final few league games and then in the playoffs as well. Sinovic is still a relatively inexpensive option for Kansas City and even if KC chooses to bring in another starter, Sinovic would be a good veteran presence on the bench that can come in and start when you need him to.
Outlook: For some of the comments that Kansas City took about their defense in 2016, it was still a fairly good defensive unit, allowing the sixth fewest goals on the season in MLS. The big issue was simply consistency in personnel. Abdul-Salaam seems to have the right back; with Besler out of the dog house he seems to have the left center back position. That means that KC needs to look to fill the right center back position, and either decide on Medranda or Sinovic for the left back spot, or bring in a starter there.
Help from SPR: Swope Park's starting center back partnership of Omuar Ballo and Amer Didic had a long unbeaten run for SPR when they were starting together that was ended in the USL final against New York Red Bulls 2. The pair certainly looked strong at times and Didic at 21 even earned himself a call up to Sporting for the CCL games this season, which Ballo was too old for. I could see at least Didic, if not both of them invited into camp. On the wings, I think that Sporting will give Tyler Pasher another look with Sporting in preseason, he seems likely to split time between the wing and wingback position with SKC, something he did with the Rangers at times last season.
Stay: Abdul-Salaam, Besler, Ellis, Medranda, Opara, Sinovic
Go: Alvarado, Coelho, Myers, Palmer-Brown
In: starting right center back, starting left back, Didic?, Pasher?
Midfield
Bernardo Anor - Spent the entire season on loan with Minnesota United of the NASL. The assumption had to have been that Anor would impress enough that KC could work out a deal where Sporting would trade Anor to Minnesota in exchange for a draft pick and a handshake agreement to not take any of their players in the expansion draft. Unfortunately Anor only appeared nine times for United, only two of those in the fall season after suffering an injury. If this was a loan with an option to buy I have a feel that United will pass on Anor, and I can't see KC retaining him either.
Emmanuel Appiah - Like Alvarado, Appiah was KC's other summer transfer window signing, and like him he spent a vast majority of his time with SPR, making a handful of appearances across all competitions for Sporting KC, mainly in CCL play. I could see Appiah making a return to the team in preseason only to end up signing with SPR for 2017 instead of Sporting. As a 23 year old first round pick (albeit for Colorado) I would have wanted more of a contribution from him.
Roger Espinoza - The third of seven players already under contract for the 2017 season, Espinoza had himself another strong season for KC in midfield and on the wing by the end of the season. He took over the captaincy from Besler and set career highs in games (30), starts (30), minutes (2,679), and assists (5). While KC had some success late in the season with Espinoza on the wing I appreciate that the team is planning to move him back to the midfield, on the wing I just didn't feel that Espinoza had the impact on the game that he can have in the middle, and while he's a good player, he's not enough of an offensive weapon to be playing the wing regularly in a 4-3-3.
Benny Feilhaber - Probably the biggest story of Kansas City’s offseason will be the status of Feilhaber. Now out of contract, Sporting has not held any negotiations with him about a new contract during the regular season. With numerous reports that teams in both Israel and Mexico were interested in the midfielder he can technically sign an offer sheet with a new club at any time, even though his contract with KC runs through the end of December. The fact that he hasn't is certainly a good sign. There are questions that will be asked though if and when Feilhaber signs a new contract. The biggest being how long of a contract do you give a midfielder who will be 32 at the start of the 2017 season? Can he continue to keep up the impact he's had with KC over the past couple seasons?
Benji Joya - The former US youth international came back to MLS as a roster freeze signing for Kansas City. Joya only appeared one time for Kansas City, the club's meaningless CCL game against Central FC, but he showed flashes during that one appearance. He's cheap enough to be an option on Sporting KC next season, or with SPR. He's one of the few roster freeze deadline signings that I could see sticking around beyond the one season.
Soni Mustivar - Another player already under contract for 2017, Mustivar had a bit of a rough season. KC had been searching for a defensive midfielder to replace Oriol Rosell since the Spaniard transferred to the Portuguese league, and last year it looked like they might have found it with Mustivar. This year though there's been some issues with his passing. It seems like at least once a game Mustivar would play a ball that would end up putting KC's defense under pressure, either by it being to the other team or not to a good position. In KC's 4-3-3 the passing by the defensive midfield is extremely important; it's why Feilhaber has spent plenty of time there. Hopefully an improvement from Mustivar is coming in 2017.
Paulo Nagamura - It seems like the last few years Nagamura has missed the first half of the season only to come back in late July/August to help steady the team and push them towards the playoffs. This year was no different, but the question surrounding Nagamura is that he turns 34 early in 2017 and can KC afford to have $225,000 in cap space tied up in a player (no matter how important) only plays about 500 minutes in a season?
Lawrence Olum - After a year abroad, Olum returned to Kansas City and for a period of time over the summer became the preferred starting center back partner of Ike Opara in KC's back line. Like a number of KC's new signings this past season though he missed a long stretch of time with injury, not appearing in a league game after 8/13. He will also be turning 33 next season, an age where if he permanently makes the switch to center back could be a decent depth signing if KC want him to return.
Outlook: When KC's starting midfield trio of Espinoza, Feilhaber, Mustivar were on their game they were one of the best midfield combinations in the league. Unfortunately they all couldn't seem to hit form at the same time in 2016. This is an area in 2017 that KC really probably needs to get younger in, both Feilhaber (if he stays) and Espinoza are now on the wrong side of 30, Olum and Nagamura are also both north of there. While Mustivar is in his prime now there are certainly questions about his play. The only "young" players in the midfield are Appiah and Joya, both had minimal action, but Joya looked the better of the two when it came down to it.
Help from SPR: Unfortunately, probably the two top candidates to help out on the midfield tore their ACLs in training in 2016. Kevin Oliveira, number 2 on the USL's list of 20 under 20 is back out on the field getting himself back into shape, but Ualefi only tore his ACL during the USL playoffs and is still a ways out. If either or both were healthy I would have expected both in camp with KC, now Oliveira may be back by the time the USL season kicks off. Elsewhere, Ayrton showed flashes filling in for Oliveira at the attacking midfield spot and Tomas Granitto showed well in his one appearance with SKC in the Champions League, but I'm not sure either one is ready to make the jump full time.
Stay: Espinoza, Feilhaber, Joya, Mustivar, Olum
Go: Anor, Appiah, Nagamura
In: Fausto Rossi?, other starting attacking midfielder if Feilhaber leaves, potentially a new defensive midfielder
Forward/Winger
Brad Davis - Probably the highest profile of KC's offseason acquisitions, a player that Peter Vermes had reportedly been chasing for years. Unfortunately Davis ended up starting just 14 games, the fewest since his rookie year in 2002, same for the number of minutes played (1,300), and his fewest assists since 2004. The expectation was that Davis would provide close to double digit assists, setting up goals for other players on the field. The lack of production from Davis caused some of KC's offensive attacking issues. His retirement will free up plenty of cap space though so hopefully Kansas City uses that on improving the team.
Dom Dwyer - The fourth player still under contract for 2017, Dwyer became Sporting KC's second all-time leading scorer in 2016 and seems likely to continue to closer to Preki in 2017. For Kansas City, the best thing for Dwyer would be for Sporting to get him support. Dwyer spent a lot of 2016 on "Dwyer Island" isolated from the rest of Kansas City's team; getting him support has to be a priority.
Connor Hallisey - To say that Sporting's highest pick from the 2015 MLS Superdraft has not lived up to expectations would be an understatement. Hallisey has struggled to transition his game to MLS. He's had numerous opportunities to lock down a starting spot on the wing for KC, especially this year with KC's two big signings there being underwhelming. In his 30 games played for KC in MLS play he's recorded just a single assist while having a number of decent opportunities to score but his only finish has been a penalty kick in KC's final CCL game. There comes a point where Vermes needs to just cut his losses with Hallisey.
Justin Mapp - The league's first free agent signing will also be the measuring point for free agent busts for years to come in MLS. Mapp played just 43 minutes for Kansas City, never starting a single game. He missed most of the season with a variety of injuries. If KC takes anything from this mistake it's to hopefully be more cautious with their signings. KC has made a history of signing players that have injury histories and trying to make them come good. Sometimes it works for them (Nemeth), this year it didn't really work out with two of their main signings (Coelho and Mapp).
Jacob Peterson - Peterson had a career year in 2016, and there are really two ways to take it for most KC fans. Many are thrilled that he was able to step up and become at least some kind of secondary threat to take some pressure off of Dwyer up top. The other side of things is that KC put themselves into a position with their player signings where Peterson had to have a career year just to try to save Kansas City's season. Peterson still has something to offer this team, maybe not as a starter, but as that spark of energy off the bench if KC needs it.
Cameron Porter - Porter is another player under contract for 2017 already. Acquired from the Montreal Impact in the trade that sent Amadou Dia north, Porter has shown some flashes at time but has also looked out of his depth. One player that actually played fewer league minutes than Mapp did. I think Porter could be someone that replaces Peterson as that spark f Sporting decides not to bring Peterson back to KC.
Diego Rubio - The sixth player under contract for 2017, Rubio will unfortunately miss a good chunk of the start of the 2017 season as he too recovers from an ACL tear. With KC's single forward system Rubio only was on the field once at the same time as Dwyer was all year. His apparent inability to play the wing has put him in mainly a reserve role. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have a DP just to have him sit on the bench mainly, but it really isn't something KC is going to have to worry about for at least the first half of the season.
Daniel Salloi - Sporting's latest homegrown player is on loan in his native Hungary where he's become a regular starter for Gyirmot scoring a pair of goals. Unfortunately Gyirmot is currently in a relegation spot, which would likely keep a permanent move from happening. With Rubio injured and how regularly Dwyer plays KC could bring him back as the primary back up to Dwyer.
Graham Zusi - The last player currently on KC's roster already for the 2017 season, Sporting really needs to start getting production from Zusi again. Over the past two seasons he's scored just four goals and added nine assists in league play, that's as many goals as he was involved in 2014 alone (five goals, eight assists). We were told last year it was because of lingering injuries. Unfortunately being healthy in 2016 hasn't helped to turn his form around. The grumbles from the fans that have grown to love Zusi are starting to get higher, especially with his DP status.
Outlook: Of the four areas, the forward/wing position is probably where Kansas City needs the most house cleaning; coincidently it's also where KC has the most players already under contract for 2017. KC gets plenty of production from Dwyer this past season, but needs to get more production from the wings in 2017 to be competitive.
Help from SPR: At the forward position, Sporting has the Rangers' leading scorer, Mark Anthony Gonzalez his ability to make the jump to MLS is certainly something to question though. There's also the USL's all-time leading scorer, Dane Kelly, but considering he has yet to make the jump to MLS, there do have to be some questions about whether he can as well. On the wings KC has Pasher who I previously mentioned as an option for outside back, and there's also Kris Tyrpak, who has some MLS experience from his time with Chivas USA.
Stay: Dwyer, Peterson, Porter, Rubio, Salloi?, Zusi
Out: Davis, Hallisey, Mapp
In: Pasher? Tyrpak? at least one starting winger.
Kansas City has a number of pieces that can be built on to get the team past the first round of the playoffs; they just need to add some pieces to get them further. KC has spent a number of years just trying to find that one, maybe two pieces required to get the team to the next level. This may be the first time since 2011 that KC has really had to come into the season with a number of new needed starters and impact players.
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